THE  MOUN 


m 


NEW  DEERFOOT  SERIES 


DEERFOOT  IN  THE 
MOUNTAINS 


A  Friend  in  Need. 


NEW     DEERFOOT     SERIES 

Deerfoot  in  the 
Mountains 


BY 

EDWARD  S.  ELLIS 

Author  of  "Deerfoot  in  the  Forest,"  "Deerfoot  on  the 
Prairies,"  "An  American  King,"  "The  Cromwell  of 
Virginia,"  "The  Boy  Pioneer  Series,"  "Log  Cabin 
Series,"  Etc.,  Etc. 


]IIu0ttat*d 

with  Eight  Engravings  by  J.  Steeple  Davis 


PHILADELPHIA: 

THE  JOHN  C.  WINSTON  CO. 

1905 


THE  FEW  DEERFOOT  JERIEJ 

BY 

EDWARD  S.  ELLIS 

Illustrated  by 
J.  STEEPLE  DAVIS 

No.  1. — Deerfoot  in  the  Forest 
No.  2. — Deerfoot  on  the  Prairies 
No.  3. — Deerfoot  in  the  Mountains 


Each  contains  seven  half-tone  engravings  and  color  frontispiece.  \ 
They  make  more  real  the  fortunes  and  adventures  of  the  heroic 
little  band  that  journeys  through  the  wilderness  and  prairies  from 
the  Ohio  to  the  Pacific.  It  was  in  the  time  of  daring  when  Lewis 
and  Clark  were  engaged  in  their  thrilling  expedition  that  the 
adventures  narrated  by  the  distinguished  author  of  boys'  books? 
are  described  as  occurring.  Our  old  friends,  George  and  Victor, 
of  the  "Log  Cabin  Series,"  are  again  met  with  in  these  pages, 
and  the  opportunity  of  once  more  coming  face  to  face  with  Deer- 
foot  will  be  welcomed  by  every  juvenile  reader. 

The  New  Deerfoot  Series  is  bound  in  uniform  style  in  cloth,  with 
side  and  back  stamped  in  colors. 

Pricey  single  volume       -        - $1.00 

Price,  per  set  of  three  volumes,  in  attractive  box    -  3.0O 


COPYRIGHT  BY 
THE  JOHN  C.  WINSTON  Co.,  1905 


£47 


CONTENTS 


PAGB 

CHAP.          I.     EASTWARD  BOUND 9 

CHAP.        II.  LOST,  STRAYED  OR  STOLEN.  .      23 

CHAP.      III.  THE  TRAIL  NORTHWARD  ....     37 

CHAP.       IV.  THE    LAND    OF   THE    ASSINI- 

BOINES 51 

CHAP.         V.     A  WELCOME  SIGHT   65 

CHAP.       VI.     COMRADES 'TRUE    79 

CHAP.     VII.     A  MISHAP 93 

CHAP.    VIII.     ENEMIES  AND  FRIENDS 106 

CHAP.       IX.     IN  THE  ROCKIES    121 

CHAP.        X.  IN  THE  BLACKFOOT  COUNTRY  135 

CHAP.       XI.     IN  WINTER  QUARTERS 149 


M637461 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 

CHAP.  XII.  BLACKFOOT  CITIZENS    ...    ..   161 

CHAP.  XIII.     SUMMONED  TO  COURT 173 

CHAP.  XIV.  A   NEW   BLACKFOOT  CITIZEN  185 

CHAP.  XV.     THE  SPIRIT  CIRCLE 197 

CHAP.  XVI.     THE  FIELD  OF  HONOR    211 

CHAP.  XVII.     A  MEMORABLE  DUEL    221 

CHAP.  XVIII.  DISCIPLINE  IN  THE  RANKS..    234 

CHAP.  XIX.  "BEHOLD  HE  PRAYETH"  ....    245 

CHAP.  XX.     LIGHT  IN  DARKNESS 258 

CHAP.  XXI.     HOMEWARD  BOUND 267 

CHAP.  XXII.  A  MEMORABLE  MEETING.  ...    280 

CHAP.  XXIII.  LEWIS  AND  CLARK'S  EXPEDI- 
TIONS      292 

CHAP.  XXIV.     OVERBOARD 304 

CHAP.  XXV.  JACK  HALLOWAY  AGAIN  ....   315 s 

CHAP.  XXVI.  A  TEMPERANCE  AGITATOR  .  .   329 

CHAP.  XXVII.     "GOOD-BYE" 343 

CHAP.  XXVIII.     RETROSPECT 350 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


PACK 

FRONTISPIECE  :  (COLOR  PLATE)  A  FRIEND  IN  NEED 

"THIS  HORSE  WAS  WHIRLWIND" 72 

"Now,  WHIRLWIND,  RUN  HIM  DOWN" n2 

DEERFOOT  LOST  IN  REVERIE  BY  THE  CAMP  FIRE  136 

AN  OMINOUS  INTERVIEW 177 

A  MEMORABLE  DUEL 224 

A  VISIT  FROM  CAPTAINS  LEWIS  AND  CLARK 289 

'*!T  WAS  DEERFOOT,  THE  SHAWANOE" 301 


Deeffoof  in  tfje  Mountains 


CHAPTER  I. 

EASTWARD  BOUND. 

DEERFOOT  the  Shawanoe,  Mul-tal-la  the 
Blackfoot,  and  the  twin  brothers,  George 
and  Victor  Shelton,  had  completed  their 
long  journey  from  the  Ohio  River  to  the  Pacific 
slope,  and,  standing  on  an  elevation  near  the 
Columbia,  spent  hours  in  looking  out  upon  the 
face  of  the  mightiest  ocean  of  the  globe.  They 
feasted  their  vision  on  the  magnificent  scene, 
with  the  miles  of  wilderness,  mountain,  vale, 
river  and  Indian  villages  spread  between  their 
feet  and  the  ocean. 

It  was  a  picture  worth  journeying  across  the 
continent  to  see.  From  beyond  the  convex 
world  a  ship  had  sailed  up  to  view,  its  snowy 

9 


JO  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

sails  looking  at  first  like  a  tiny  but  growing 
cloud  in  the  soft  sky.  As  the  craft  drew  steadily 
nearer,  they  saw  it  careening  to  one  side  under 
the  impulse  of  the  wind  against  the  bellying 
canvas,  while  the  curling  foam  at  the  bows 
spread  out  like  a  fan  and  dissolved  in  the  clear 
waters  beyond  the  stern. 

Deerfoot  had  taken  the  glass  after  Mul-tal-la 
was  through,  and  he  stood  for  a  long  time  gaz- 
ing at  the  waste  of  waters.  None  spoke,  for 
there  was  that  in  the  scene  and  the  occasion 
which  made  all  thoughtful.  The  grandeur,  the 
majesty,  the  vastness  filled  them  with  awe  and 
held  them  mute.  Finally,  the  Shawanoe  lowered 
the  instrument,  and  turning  toward  the  boys, 
said  gravely,  as  he  pointed  first  to  the  east  and 
then  to  the  west: 

"Yonder  is  the  endless  forest  of  wood,  and 
yonder  the  endless  forest  of  water;  they  shall 
all  become  the  home  of  the  white  man. ' ' 

"I  don't  doubt  you  are  right,"  replied  George 
Shelton,  "but  it  will  be  hundreds  of  years  after 
you  and  I  are  dead ;  there  is  room  between  here 
and  the  Ohio  for  millions  upon  millions,  but 
where  will  they  come  from! " 

1  '  The  white  men  will  become  like  the  leaves  in 


EASTWARD  BOUND.  U 

the  forest  and  the  sands  on  the  seashore;  no 
one  can  count  the  numbers  that  will  overspread 
the  land;  they  will  be  everywhere. " 

"And  what  of  your  own  people,  Deerfoot?" 
asked  Victor. 

The  dusky  youth  shook  his  head,  as  if  the 
problem  was  beyond  him. 

"The  two  ought  to  live  in  peace  side  by  side, 
for  such  is  the  will  of  the  Great  Spirit.  The 
white  man  cannot  become  like  the  red  man,  but 
the  red  man  may  grow  into  the  ways  of  the  pale- 
faces, and  all  may  be  brothers,  and  so  live  till 
time  shall  be  no  more." 

The  theme  was  too  profound  for  the  youths, 
though  it  was  manifest  that  the  Shawanoe  had 
given  much  thought  to  it.  He  added  nothing, 
and  while  the  day  was  young  they  walked  back 
to  the  Columbia,  re-entered  the  canoe  and 
headed  up  stream. 

Henceforward  their  work  was  different  from 
that  which  they  faced  when  descending  the 
river.  There  were  long  stretches  where,  despite 
the  current,  the  dusky  boatmen  found  no  special 
trouble  in  driving  the  craft  eastward;  but,  as 
they  progressed,  the  labor  became  severer,  for 
the  stream  narrowed  and  the  velocity  of  its  flow 


J2  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

became  greater.  The  portages  were  long  and 
toilsome,  and,  as  the  party  advanced,  many 
places  were  met  where  these  portages  became 
necessary  on  account  of  the  rapidity  of  the  cur- 
rent alone.  All,  however,  bent  resolutely  to 
work,  Victor  and  George  taxing  their  strength 
to  the  utmost.  Deerfoot  seemed  tireless,  but 
he  could  never  be  inconsiderate  to  others.  He 
could  have  outworn  Mul-tal-la,  though  not  till 
after  the  exhaustion  of  the  boys,  who  agreed 
between  themselves  that  the  job  was  the  biggest 
they  had  ever  tackled ;  and  yet  their  adult  com- 
panions not  only  did  the  work  the  twins  were 
doing,  but  swung  the  paddles  in  addition. 

Our  friends  stayed  one  night  at  the  Echeloot 
or  Upper  Chinook  village,  which  they  had 
visited  when  coming  down  the  river.  You  will 
remember  that  it  was  there  they  first  saw 
wooden  houses  made  by  Indians.  The  explorers 
were  treated  as  hospitably  as  before,  but,  as 
you  will  also  recall,  the  natives  were  Flatheads, 
and  the  sight  of  the  misshapen  skulls,  towering 
at  the  rear  like  the  ridge  of  a  roof,  was  so  dis- 
agreeable that  the  travelers  were  glad  to  turn 
their  backs  upon  them. 

You  have  not  forgotten  the  thrilling  descent 


EASTVARD  BOUND.  J3 

of  the  Falls  of  the  Columbia,  where  all  the  skill 
of  Deerfoot  and  Mul-tal-la  was  needed  to  save 
the  canoe  from  being  dashed  upon  the  rocks. 

"Are  you  going  to  paddle  through  them 
again?"  asked  Victor. 

"Deerfoot  does  not  wish  to  see  his  brother 
scared  so  bad  as  he  was  before." 

"I  was  about  to  say  that  if  you  and  Mul-tal-la 
don't  feel  equal  to  the  task,  George  and  I  are 
ready  to  take  it  off  your  hands." 

' i  The  heart  of  Deerfoot  is  made  glad  to  hear 
the  words  of  his  brother,"  replied  the  Shawa- 
noe,  handing  his  paddle  to  the  youth.  Not 
expecting  that,  Victor  scratched  his  head  and 
looked  quizzically  at  George. 

' '  Shall  we  show  those  fellows  how  to  do  such 
things?" 

"I  don't  think  it  is  worth  while;  they  won't 
appreciate  it. ' ' 

"Deerfoot  is  sorry,"  was  all  that  was  said 
by  the  Shawanoe,  as  the  boat  was  drawn  out  of 
the  waters  and  hoisted  upon  the  shoulders  of 
the  party. 

The  Shawanoe  gave  another  illustration  of 
his  stern  principles  when,  at  the  close  of  day, 
the  canoe  was  run  into  shore  at  the  point  where 


14  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

tEe  travelers  had  encamped  beside  the  pile  of 
lumber  from  which  they  were  led  to  take  what 
fuel  they  needed  through  the  misrepresentation 
of  the  three  Indians  who  called  upon  them.  The 
night  was  one  of  the  coldest  of  several  weeks, 
and  at  their  elbows,  as  may  be  said,  was  enough 
fuel  to  make  them  comfortable  for  months. 

The  brothers  looked  longingly  at  the  mass  of 
lumber,  but  did  not  dare  touch  it  in  the  presence 
of  their  friend. 

"I  wonder  if  we  can't  persuade  him  to  look 
the  other  way  for  a  little  while,"  said  Victor 
in  a  low  tone  to  George. 

"It  wouldn't  make  any  difference  if  he  did— 
he  would  see  us  just  the  same ;  the  only  thing  to 
do  is  to  appeal  to  his  common  sense." 

"You  try  it;  he  won't  pay  any  attention  to 
me." 

' '  See  here, ' '  said  the  shivering  lad ;  "  it  seems 
to  me,  Deerfoot,  that  since  we  have  already 
stolen  some  lumber  from  that  pile,  it  can't  be 
any  harm  to  steal  a  little  more;  you  see,  with 
your  good  sense,  that  it  .will  be  only  taking 
two  bites  from  the  same  apple." 

The  Shawanoe  looked  gravely  at  his  young 
friends,  whom  no  one  understood  better  than  he, 
and  abruptly  asked : 


EASTWARD  BOUND.  J5 

"How  much  do  two  and  two  make?" 
"As  near  as  I  can  figure  out/'  interposed 
Victor,  "the  answer  to  that  problem  is  four." 

"When  we  used  the  wood  we  thought  we  had 
the  right  to  take  it;  we  should  pay  the  owner 
if  we  could  find  him.  If  we  use  any  of  it  now 
it  will  be  a  sin,  as  sure  as  two  and  two  make 
four,  for  we  know  it  belongs  to  another;  it  is 
better  to  freeze  than  to  steal  wood,  Deerfoot 
does  not  wish  to  hear  his  brothers  say  anything 


more.' 


"I  suppose  he  is  right,"  growled  Victor,  "but 
doesn  't  he  draw  it  mighty  fine  1  We  may  as  well 
prepare  to  spend  one  of  the  worst  nights  we 
have  had  since  leaving  the  Ohio." 

The  canoe  was  drawn  up  the  bank  and  then 
turned  over,  so  as  to  shield  the  property 
beneath.  Then  the  blankets  were  spread  so  that 
the  four  lay -near  one  another  and  thus  secured 
mutual  warmth.  The  region  'had  become 
familiar  to  our  friends  because  of  their  former 
visit,  and  they  knew  that  all  the  natives  were 
friendly.  Deerfoot,  therefore,  said  there  was 
no  need  of  mounting  guard.  They  had  eaten 
enough  dried  salmon  to  stay  the  pangs  of 
hunger,  though  the  boys  would  have  relished 
something  warm  and  more  palatable. 


J6  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

All  slept  soundly,  and  the  night  passed  with- 
out the  slightest  disturbance  from  prowling 
man  or  animal.  Victor  Shelton  was  the  first 
to  awake.  He  was  lying  on  his  side  with  his 
back  against  that  of  his  brother,  and  his  face 
so  covered  by  his  blanket  that  only  a  small 
orifice  was  left  through  which  to  breathe.  His 
first  sensation  was  that  of  pressure,  as  if  a 
heavy  weight  was  distributed  over  the  blanket 
and  was  bearing  him  down.  He  moved  his  arm 
and  found  that  the  blanket,  from  some  cause, 
was  really  heavier  than  usual.  A  vigorous  flirt 
freed  his  shoulder  from  the  wrapping,  and  he 
then  saw  the  cause  of  the  peculiar  feeling  he  had 
noticed :  the  earth  was  covered  with  several 
inches  of  snow.  Anyone  coming  upon  the  camp 
in  the  gray  light  of  morning  would  have  noted 
nothing  but  the  mass  of  lumber,  the  flowing 
river,  the  overturned  canoe  and  several  white 
mounds.  The  snowfall  had  ceased,  and  fortu- 
nately there  had  been  a  considerable  rise  of 
temperature.  The  snow  was  soft  and  wet,  and 
one  could  move  about  without  extra  protection, 
and  not  suffer  from  cold. 

Victor  lay  still  for  a  minute  or  two,  engaged 
in  thinking.  Then  he  gently  pushed  the  blanket 


EASTWARD  BOUND.  17 

off  his  shoulder  and  body,  so  as  to  leave  his 
limbs  free.  With  the  same  stealth  he  rose  to 
his  feet  and  looked  around.  There  lay  his  three 
friends,  encased  even  to  their  heads  and  feet 
in  the  warm  protection. 

"I  think  there  couldn't  be  a  better  time  for 
me  to  settle  my  accounts  with  you  fellows," 
muttered  the  lad,  looking  down  on  the  mounds. 

"  Master  George  Shelton,  you  have  a  bad 
habit  of  making  slurring  remarks  about  my 
walking  pretty  fast  from  the  wounded  antelope, 
forgetting  that  by  doing  so  I  drew  him  on  to  his 
own  destruction.  You  need  a  lesson  and  I'm 
going  to  give  it  to  you. 

"Mr.  Mul-tal-la,  you  didn't  say  much  at  the 
time  I  was  explaining  that  little  matter  to 
George,  but  I  saw  the  grin  on  your  face,  and 
I  knew  you  were  thinking  a  good  deal  more  than 
you  had  any  right  to  think.  You  need  to  be 
taught  better  manners. 

"As  for  you,  Mr.  Deerfoot,  you  are  the  worst 
of  all.  I  can't  forget  the  scandalous  tricks  you 
have  played  on  me.  It  will  take  a  long  time  to 
even  matters  between  us,  but  I'm  going  to  make 
a  good  start  to-day." 

Knowing  how  lightly   the    Shawanoe    slept, 


f  «  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

Victor  picked  his  way  with  great  skill  until  he 
had  taken  a  dozen  or  more  steps.  The  down- 
like  carpet  enabled  him  to  do  this  absolutely 
without  noise,  a  fact  which  explains  why  Deer- 
foot  did  not  awake. 

Victor  now  stooped  and  began  silently  manu- 
facturing snowballs.  He  packed  the  soft  sub- 
stance as  hard  as  he  eould  while  circling  it 
about  in  his  palms  and  rounding  it  into  shape. 
When  the  missile  suggested  a  12-pound  shot 
he  laid  it  at  his  feet,  with  the  whispered  words : 

"That's  for  you,  Master  George  Shelton." 

The  second  sphere  was  compressed  and 
modeled  with  the  same  pains  and  placed  beside 
the  first. 

"That's  for  you,  Mr.  Mul-tal-la,  and  you're 
going  to  get  it  good !  As  for  you,  Mr.  Deerf oot, 
you  shall  have  a  double  dose." 

Crooking  his  left  arm  at  the  elbow,  Victor 
laid  three  of  the  nicely  molded  snowballs  in 
the  hollow,  which  served  as  a  quiver  serves  for 
arrows.  The  fourth  missile  was  grasped  in  his 
right  hand,  and  he  drew  it  slowly  back  and 
sighted  carefully  at  his  brother.  Victor  was  a 
fine  thrower,  and  when  the  ball  flashed  from  his 
hand  it  landed  on  the  top  of  George's  cap  and 


EASTWARD  BOUND.  J9 

burst  into  fragments.  The  sleeper  was  in  the 
midst  of  a  dream  in  which  Zigzag  played  a  lead- 
ing part,  and  the  youth's  first  impression  was 
that  he  had  received  the  full  force  of  a  kick  on 
his  crown. 

Paying  no  further  attention  to  him,  Victor 
quickly  let  fly  at  Mul-tal-la,  and  the  throw  was 
as  good  as  the  first. 

The  disturbance,  slight  as  it  was,  roused 
Deerf  oot,  who  flung  the  blanket  off  his  face  and 
raised  his  head.  He  was  just  in  time  to  receive 
the  compact  sphere  between  the  eyes,  and 
before  he  could  dodge  the  second  it  landed  on 
his  ear,  packed  the  passage  full  of  snow  and 
plastered  the  side  of  his  face  with  the  snowy 
particles. 

1 '  I  meant  those  for  you  and  here 's  another ! ' ' 
shouted  Victor,  who,  having  exhausted  his 
ammunition,  snatched  up  a  handful  of  snow  and 
began  hastily  molding  a  new  missile. 

"You  needn't  scramble  and  claw  about!  I've 
got  you  down  and  I'm  going  to  pay  you  for 
beating  me  at  wrestling,  for  tickling  my  nose, 
for  stealing  my  clothes  when  I  was  swimming, 
and"- 

The  reason  why  the  lad  ceased  his  remarks 


20  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

so  abruptly  was  because  a  snowball,  fired  as  if 
from  a  cannon,  crashed  into  his  mouth  that 
instant  and  half  strangled  him.  Before  he  could 
pull  himself  together  he  knew  his  nose  was 
flattened  by  another  missile  and  Deerfoot  was 
on  the  point  of  launching  a  third  shot.  This 
was  more  than  Victor  had  bargained  for,  and, 
wheeling,  he  "ran  for  life,"  yelling  at  the  top 
of  his  voice  for  George  and  Mul-tal-la  to  come 
to  his  help. 

"Soak  him,  George!  Give  it  to  him,  Mul- 
tal-la;  don't  you  see  he's  killing  me?" 

Now,  there  was  no  reason  why  the  two  thus 
appealed  to  should  heed  the  prayer,  since  each 
had  suffered  at  the  hands  of  the  youth  who 
was  in  extremity.  Nevertheless,  Mul-tal-la  and 
George  attacked  Deerfoot,  observing  which, 
Victor  was  unprincipled  enough  to  turn  back 
and  join  the  assailants.  Thus  the  Shawanoe 
was  forced  to  defend  himself  against  three, 
every  one  of  whom  was  a  good  thrower.  Eight 
bravely  did  the  dusky  youth  do  his  work — never 
yielding  an  inch,  but  driving  his  missiles  right 
and  left,  with  the  merciless  accuracy  and  the 
power  of  an  arrow  from  his  bow,  or  a  bullet 
from  his  rifle.  So  lightning-like  were  his  throws 


EASTWARD  BOUND.  2\ 

that  neither  the  man  nor  the  boys  were  able  to 
dodge  them,  unless  they  widened  the  space 
between  themselves  and  their  master.  Deer- 
foot's  last  missile  cracked  like  a  pistol  when 
the  ball  impinged  against  the  side  of  Mul-tal-la's 
head,  and  the  latter  gave  up  the  contest. 

This  left  only  the  boys.  The  Shawanoe  hast- 
ily fashioned  a  couple  of  balls,  and  with  one  in 
either  hand  started  for  the  brothers,  who  called 
out,  '  'Enough  I"  and  flung  their  own  ammuni- 
tion to  the  ground  in  token  of  surrender  He 
looked  from  one  to  the  other  and  said : 

"Let  us  not  stop;  Deerfoot  is  beginning  to 
like  it. " 

"That's  the  trouble,"  replied  George;  "you 
like  it  too  much;  I  don't  want  any  more ;  maybe 
Victor  does." 

"I'll  do  my  own  talking,"  replied  the  latter; 
"didn't  you  see  me  throw  down  my  snowball? 
What  do  you  'spose  I  did  that  for?" 

"Didn't  you  throw  it  at  Deerfoot?"  asked 
the  Shawanoe.  ' '  The  shot  came  as  near  hitting 
him  as  some  of  those  you  threw." 

"We'll  take  up  the  fight  again  some  time," 
was  the  vague  promise  of  Victor,  panting  from 
his  exertion. 


22  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

"Deerfoot  hopes  you  will  do  so." 

But  the  good-natured  contest  was  never 
renewed.  Not  again  could  the  lads  expect  to 
have  such  a  golden  opportunity,  and  their 
defeat  was  so  decisive  that  they  knew  better 
than  to  repeat  it. 

The  labor  of  the  return  grew  heavier  as  they 
progressed,  and  the  time  came  when  it  was  so 
hard  to  make  headway  against  the  powerful 
current  that  the  effort  was  given  up.  The  last 
few  miles  became  a  real  portage,  though  when 
our  friends  were  descending  the  river  the  pass- 
age could  not  have  been  easier. 

And  so  in  due  time  the  four  reached  the  Nez 
Perce  village,  where  they  had  left  their  horses 
and  some  of  their  property.  Henceforth  the 
journey  to  the  Blackfoot  country  was  to  be 
made  by  land.  The  former  task  had  proved  one 
of  the  severest  of  their  lives,  and  glad  indeed 
were  all  when  it  was  over. 


CHAPTER  II. 
LOST,  STRAYED  OR  STOLEN. 

YOU  have  already  learned  something  of  the 
Nez  Perces,  who  in  our  times  have  pro- 
duced one  of  the  greatest  Indian  leaders 
of  the  past  century.  He  was  Chief  Joseph,  who 
gave  the  United  States  regulars  such  a  brilliant 
campaign  as  to  excite  their  admiration.  Per- 
haps you  saw  the  aged  chief  on  his  visit  to  the 
East  a  short  time  since.  He  was  chivalrous, 
high-minded  and  a  loyal  friend  of  the  whites, 
and  showed  this  when  he  handed  his  rifle  to 
Colonel  Miles  and  said:  "From  where  the 
sun  stands  in  yonder  heavens,  I  fight  the  white 
man  no  more. ' ' 

You  will  recall  that  the  Nez  Perces  are  large, 
fine-looking  men,  of  dark  complexion,  and  that 
the  women  have  attractive  features.  A  century 
ago  they  had  a  rough  time  of  it.  They  were 
forced  to  work  hard  during  the  summer  and 
autumn  in  gathering  salmon  and  their  winter 
supply  of  edible  roots.  In  winter  they  hunted 

23 


24  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

deer  on  snow  shoes,  and,  as  spring  advanced, 
crossed  the  mountains  to  the  headwaters  of  the 
Missouri  to  traffic  in  buffalo  robes.  You  will 
see,  therefore,  that  they  were  kept  unusually 
busy,  and  red  men  have  never  shown  a  fondness 
for  manual  labor.  But,  beside  this,  they  had 
numerous  fights  with  enemies  from  the  west, 
often  losing  some  of  their  warriors  and  many 
of  their  horses. 

At  the  time  of  the  visit  by  our  friends, 
Amokeat  was  principal  chief  of  the  Nez  Perces. 
He  and  Mul-tal-la  the  Blackfoot  were  attached 
to  each  other,  and  the  confidence  of  the  latter 
in  the  dusky  leader  was  complete.  Had  he  not 
been  so  warm  in  his  expressions  of  this  faith  in 
Amokeat,  Deerfoot  would  never  have  left  the 
stallion  Whirlwind  in  his  care  while  the 
explorers  were  pressing  their  way  down  the 
Columbia  to  tidewater. 

As  it  was,  the  Shawanoe  was  troubled  by  mis- 
givings from  the  hour  he  parted  company  with 
his  matchless  steed.  As  the  distance  between 
him  and  the  Nez  Perce  village  lessened,  it  was 
hard  for  the  dusky  youth  to  suppress  his  nerv- 
ousness. He  was  reserved,  speaking  only  now 
and  then  when  necessary,  and  unconsciously 


LOST,  STRAYED  OR  STOLEN.  24 

hurrying  his  footsteps,  until  the  brothers  were 
ready  to  drop  from  exhaustion.  Had  the  vil- 
lage been  a  mile  farther  off  they  would  have 
been  obliged  to  beg  for  rest. 

The  arrival  of  the  party  caused  less  excite- 
ment than  would  be  supposed.  The  majority 
of  the  men  and  women  were  away,  assisting  in 
the  harvesting  of  salmon,  while  fully  a  score  of 
the  ablest  warriors  were  off  somewhere  in  the 
mountains,  either  hunting  or  scouting,  prepar- 
atory to  some  movement  the  Nez  Perces  as  a 
tribe  had  in  view.  There  were  enough  on  hand, 
however,  to  give  our  friends  due  attention  and 
to  welcome  them  back. 

The  first  inquiry  of  Deerfoot  was  as  to  the 
horses.  To  the  south  of  the  main  village 
stretched  an  expanse  of  undergrowth,  bushes, 
succulent  grass  and  herbage,  where  the  animals 
of  the  tribe  were  turned  loose  to  roam  at  will 
when  not  needed  by  their  owners.  The  Nez 
Perces,  with  gestures  and  the  few  words  that 
were  understood  by  Mul-tal-la,  said  the  horses 
of  their  visitors  would  be  found  at  the  place 
described.  It  was  not  far  off,  and  Deerfoot 
broke  into  a  lope,  his  friends  at  his  heels. 

It  required  but  a  few  minutes  to  reach  the 


26  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

tract,  which  covered  a  number  of  acres.  At 
different  points  glimpses  were  caught  of  horses 
cropping  the  grass  and  herbage.  The  first 
animal  recognized  was  Zigzag,  who  was  so  near 
that  the  moment  the  party  debouched  into  the 
space  he  raised  his  head,  looked  at  them  and 
gave  a  neigh  of  recognition.  Then  he  resumed 
his  grazing,  as  if  he  felt  that  he  had  done  all 
the  honors  due  from  him. 

"Yonder  is  Prince!"  exclaimed  Victor,  run- 
ning forward  to  greet  his  horse,  while  George 
Shelton  began  searching  hither  and  yon  for 
Jack.  Mul-tal-la  did  not  see  Bug,  and  showed 
more  interest  in  Deerfoot's  search  than  in  his 
own  animal. 

The  Shawanoe  had  halted  on  the  edge  of  the 
pasturage  ground,  glanced  quickly  over  his  field 
of  vision,  and  then,  placing  a  thumb  and  fore- 
finger between  his  teeth,  he  emitted  a  blast  like 
that  of  a  steam  whistle.  It  was  a  signal  he  had 
taught  the  stallion,  and  he  knew  that  if  the  horse 
was  within  a  mile  he  would  come  toward  him 
on  a  full  gallop.  Deerfoot  repeated  the  call 
twice  and  then  waited  and  looked  and  listened. 
None  of  the  horses  so  much  as  raised  his 
head,  and  the  heart  of  the  youth  became  like 
lead. 


LOST,  STRAYED  OR  STOLEN.  27 

"Whirlwind  is  not  here/'  he  said  sadly  to 
the  Blackf oot.  George  and  Victor  hurried  back, 
drawn  by  the  signal  whose  meaning  they  under- 
stood. In  truth,  when  they  left  his  side  it  had 
been  more  for  the  purpose  of  hunting  for  the 
stallion  than  for  their  own  animals.  Their 
hearts  ached  for  Deerfoot,  whose  face  was  the 
picture  of  disappointment  and  grief. 

"Call  to  him  again, "  suggested  George. 

"It  can  do  no  good.  If  he  is  near  he  would 
have  heard  Deerfoot;  he  is  gone." 

"He  may  have  wandered  beyond  reach  of 
your  signal,"  said  Victor.  "You  know  he  never 
felt  friendly  toward  other  horses  and  always 
kept  by  himself." 

With  a  weak  hope  that  his  friend  was  right, 
Deerfoot  walked  a  hundred  yards  to  where  an 
uprooted  tree  lay  on  its  side,  climbed  upon  the 
trunk,  and,  facing  the  different  points  of  the 
compass  in  turn,  whistled  so  shrilly  that  in  the 
afternoon  stillness  the  sound  awoke  the  echoes 
for  miles  in  every  direction.  Then  he  stood  in 
the  attitude  of  intense  attention.  Certain  that 
the  stallion  had  not  gone  far  of  his  own  accord, 
he  knew  these  calls  would  bring  him  dashing  to 
the  spot,  provided  no  person  had  had  a  hand  in 
his  disappearance. 


28  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

But  the  minutes  passed  without  anything  of 
this  nature  occurring,  and  the  Shawanoe  sprang 
down  from  the  slight  elevation  and  came  back 
to  where  his  sympathizing  friends  awaited  him. 
They  were  silent,  for  none  could  say  aught  to 
comfort  him. 

"We  will  look  for  Amokeat,"  he  quietly 
remarked,  leading  the  way  to  the  village.  There 
the  inquiries  of  Mul-tal-la  brought  the  first 
definite  information  of  the  missing  horse.  It 
was  of  anything  but  a  pleasant  nature. 

It  has  been  said  that  about  a  score  of  Nez 
Perce  warriors  were  absent  on  a  scouting  or 
hunting  expedition.  They  were  under  the  lead 
of  Amokeat,  who  rode  away  on  the  back  of 
[Whirlwind.  They  had  been  gone  several  days 
and  were  liable  to  return  at  any  hour,  or  they 
might  be  absent  for  a  week  or  more  longer. 

When  Deerfoot  gained  this  information  he 
was  filled  with  indignation.  Without  speaking, 
he  turned  his  back  upon  his  friends  and  walked 
to  and  fro  for  several  minutes.  He  was  striving 
to  gain  control  of  his  emotions,  and  some  time 
passed  before  he  could  do  so.  When  he  suc- 
ceeded he  rejoined  his  comrades,  several  of  the 
Nez  Perces  gathering  round  and  watching  the 
four  with  no  little  curiosity. 


LOST,  STRAYED  OR  STOLEN.  29 

"  Amokeat  did  not  ask  Deerfoot  that  he  might 
ride  .Whirlwind,"  said  the  Shawanoe,  the  flash 
not  fully  gone  from  his  eyes,  and  a  slight  tremu- 
lousness  showing  in  his  voice. 

"He  had  no  business  to  do  so,"  added  the 
impulsive  Victor;  "I  wonder  that  the  horse 
allowed  anyone  to  ride  him  except  you." 

George  Shelton  tried  to  soothe  his  troubled 
friend. 

"I  understand  how  you  feel,  Deerfoot,  but  it 
looks  to  me  as  if  it  will  come  out  all  right.  The 
Nez  Perces  rode  off  on  their  horses,  with  Whirl- 
wind in  the  lead.  Why  should  they  not  come 
back  the  same  way,  with  Whirlwind  none  the 
worse?  Amokeat  did  not  expect  you  for  some 
time,  and  who  can  wonder  that  he  wished  to 
ride  such  a  steed?" 

Deerfoot  turned  and  looked  in  the  face  of  the 
lad. 

' '  Does  my  brother  wish  Deerfoot  to  sit  down 
and  fold  his  hands  and  wait  for  days  and  weeks, 
all  the  time  not  knowing  whether  Whirlwind 
will  come  back  again  or  not?  Does  not  my 
brother  see  that  there  is  not  a  day  nor  an  hour 
to  be  wasted?  Deerfoot  would  die  many  times 
while  waiting  for  Amokeat;  he  cannot  do  it." 


30  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

This  was  another  way  of  declaring  that  the 
young  Shawanoe  meant  to  set  out  to  recover  his 
steed  without  an  hour's  unnecessary  delay.  All 
felt  in  the  circumstances  that  it  was  the  best 
thing  to  do.  No  one  offered  further  suggestion. 
Mul-tal-la,  who  had  spoken  hardly  a  word,  now 
told  Deerfoot  he  would  find  out  all  that  was  to 
be  learned  of  Amokeat  and  his  party. 

Left  alone  with  the  lads,  the  Shawanoe 
explained  the  plan  he  had  formed. 

' '  Mul-tal-la  will  take  my  brothers  to  his  home 
among  the  Blackfeet,  where  they  will  stay  until 
spring  comes;  winter  is  too  near  for  them  to 
travel  any  farther  toward  the  Ohio.  Mul-tal-la 
will  make  them  welcome  and  they  will  not  want 
for  food  and  comforts." 

"  And  what  of  you?" 

"When  Deerfoot  meets  Whirlwind,  the  two 
will  join  his  brothers  and  all  will  be  together 
till  the  sun  begins  to  melt  the  snow  on  the  sides 
of  the  mountains.  Then  they  will  set  out  for  the 
Ohio  which  they  left  so  many  months  ago." 

"Will  you  make  this  search  for  Whirlwind 
on  horseback  or  on  foot?" 

1 1  On  foot ;  there  is  no  horse  that  can  help  me. 
Whirlwind  would  be  offended  if  he  saw  me 


LOST,  STRAYED  OR  STOLEN.  31 

come  after  him  on  any  other  of  these  animals. 
Deerfoot  can  travel  better  on  foot  than  any 
other  way." 

"You  wish  us  to  take  our  horses  with  us  to 
the  Blackfoot  country!" 

The  Shawanoe  nodded. 

"Take  the  four  and  keep  them  among  the 
Blackfeet;  they  will  be  needed  by  us  when 
spring  comes." 

"You  have  plenty  of  bullets  and  powder.  Is 
there  anything  of  ours  that  you  would  like?" 
asked  Victor. 

"Yes, — that;  it  may  be  of  help  to  Deerfoot." 

The  dusky  youth  pointed  to  the  spyglass  sus- 
pended by  a  cord  around  the  neck  of  George 
Shelton.  The  owner  instantly  slipped  the  string 
over  his  head. 

"You  are  welcome  to  it  and  to  anything  else 
of  ours." 

"  Deerfoot  thanks  his  brothers,  but  there  is 
nothing  more  he  wishes.  He  has  his  rifle,  his 
powder  horn,  his  bullet  pouch,  his  flint  and  steel 
and  his  hunting  knife.  Anything  more  would  be 
a  burden,  but  his  heart  is  warm  with  gratitude 
to  his  brothers." 

At  this  point  in  the  conversation,  Mul-tal-la 


32  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

returned  with  news  of  what  he  had  learned  by 
his  inquiries  among  the  Nez  Perces. 

The  knowledge  amounted  to  little.  Chief 
!Amokeat  had  led  his  warriors  northward  three 
days  before,  starting  just  as  the  sun  appeared. 
He  gave  no  word  as  to  when  he  would  come 
back,  and  none  could  do  anything  more  than 
guess,  nor  was  the  leader  clear  as  to  the  nature 
of  the  business  on  which  he  ventured.  Perhaps 
he  himself  did  not  know. 

Still  the  task  that  Deerfoot  had  set  himself 
seemed  possible  of  accomplishment.  Knowing 
the  point  at  which  the  party  left  the  village  and 
the  course  taken  by  them,  he  could  strike  the 
trail,  and  to  keep  to  it  would  not  be  more  diffi- 
cult than  many  feats  he  had  performed  amid 
the  forests  and  canebrakes  of  Kentucky  and 
Ohio.  He  made  sure  that  there  was  no  mistake 
at  the  beginning.  Then  he  bade  his  friends 
good-bye. 

Before  doing  so  he  talked  for  some  minutes 
with  Mul-tal-la.  The  Blackfoot  favored  the 
tourse  Deerfoot  had  laid  out  for  himself,  though 
it  was  not  unlikely  that  the  fact  that  opposition 
was  useless  may  have  had  its  weight  in  the  con- 
clusion reached  by  Mul-tal-la.  He  told  the 


LOST,  STRAYED  OR  STOLEN  33 

Shawanoe  that  he  would  proceed  straight  to  the 
Blackfoot  country,  and  there  await  the  coming 
of  his  friend,  who  expected  like  the  boys  to 
spend  the  winter  in  that  northern  region. 

Deerfoot  disliked  "scenes"  as  much  as  did 
George  and  Victor  Shelton.  The  only  ceremony 
between  him  and  the  three  was  the  shaking  of 
hands  and  the  expression  of  good  wishes.  Thus 
they  parted.  The  dusky  youth  made  his  way 
directly  to  the  point  where  he  had  been  informed 
Amokeat  and  his  party  had  left  on  their  north- 
ward excursion,  and,  without  looking  behind 
him,  found  the  trail  and  began  his  long  journey. 

Mul-tal-la  waited  for  some  minutes  after  his 
departure  and  then  gave  the  word  for  the 
brothers  to  make  ready.  Accordingly,  the 
horses  were  brought  to  the  village,  the  saddles 
and  bridles  taken  from  the  lodge  of  the  chief- 
tain, where  they  had  been  stored,  together  with 
the  superfluous  articles  left  behind  when  the 
explorers  started  on  their  canoe  voyage  down 
the  Columbia.  To  this  property  was  added  that 
which  had  gone  on  the  voyage.  Everything  was 
carefully  packed  on  the  back  of  Zigzag,  saddles 
and  bridles  were  put  in  place,  all  three  mounted, 
waved  good-bye  and  thanks  to  the  Nez  Perces, 


34  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

most  of  those  that  remained  behind  having 
gathered  to  see  the  visitors  off.  Then  these  in 
turn  began  the  journey  which  was  to  take  them 
through  a  pass  in  the  Bocky  Mountains  and  into 
the  extensive  Blackfoot  country.  For  a  time 
we  will  leave  them  to  themselves  and  give  our 
attention  to  Deerf  oot,  who  was  never  more  reso- 
lute of  purpose  than  when  he  determined  not 
to  rejoin  his  friends  until  he  had  recovered 
Whirlwind,  or  at  least  gained  tidings  of  him. 

It  may  be  said  that  the  young  ohawanoe  was 
hopeful  of  finding  the  stallion  unharmed,  and 
he  had  reasonable  ground  for  such  hope.  He 
could  not  help  feeling  displeased  with  the  action 
of  Amokeat,  who  certainly  had  presumed  in 
thus  using  the  property  of  another.  Still,  if  no 
harm  had  befallen  the  steed,  the  Shawanoe 
would  check  the  reproof  he  had  in  mind. 

Several  facts  caused  Deerfoot  uneasiness. 
The  beauty  and  nobleness  of  the  stallion  could 
not  fail  to  excite  envy  wherever  and  by  whom- 
ever seen.  His  owner  believed  that  Amokeat 
would  steal  him  if  he  had  the  chance,  but  it 
need  not  be  explained  that  the  circumstances 
rendered  that  impossible.  In  venturing  upon 
this  raid,  the  Nez  Perces  were  sure  to  come  in 


LOST,  STRAYED  OR  STOLEN.  35 

collision  with  hostile  Indians.  They  had  lost 
warriors  and  horses  before.  Indeed,  their 
enemies  had  invaded  the  homes  of  the  Nez 
Perces  and  robhed  them.  Suppose  Amokeat 
and  his  companions  got  into  a  fight  with  some 
of  the  northern  tribes.  As  likely  as  not  the 
Nez  Perces  would  be  defeated.  In  that  case, 
Whirlwind  would  be  first  of  the  spoils  gathered 
in  by  the  victors. 

Suppose  again  the  Nez  Perces  were  victo- 
rious. The  possession  of  the  matchless  stallion 
must  be  betrayed  to  their  enemies,  who  would 
leave  no  stone  unturned  to  capture  him.  There 
was  every  reason,  too,  to  fear  that  the  hostiles 
would  be  successful ;  for  they  would  be  in  their 
own  country  and  have  every  advantage  on  their 
side.  With  all  the  charity  that  Deerfoot  could 
feel,  he  could  not  help  condemning  the  Nez 
Perce  chieftain  for  taking  the  great  risk  of 
causing  the  loss  of  Whirlwind. 

You  need  hardly  be  reminded  that  if  Deerfoot 
found  this  had  taken  place,  he  had  no  thought 
of  giving  up  the  hunt.  If  it  was  conceivable 
that  the  steed  had  fallen  into  the  hands  of  the 
Eskimos,  and  they  had  journeyed  to  the  Arctic 
circle  with  him,  the  Shawanoe  would  have  kept 
straight  on  until  he  overtook  the  despoilers. 


36  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

The  Shawanoe  gave  a  fine  exhibition  of  his 
consummate  skill  in  tracking  a  party  of  horse- 
men. When  this  party  numbered  a  score,  more 
or  less,  it  was  no  trouble  to  keep  to  the  trail, 
which  was  plainly  marked;  but  had  he  done 
this  his  progress  would  have  been  delayed,  for 
he  would  have  had  to  follow  every  turning  and 
doubling,  which  would  have  made  the  journey 
twice  as  lengthy  as  a  straight  line. 

When  Deerfoot  was  hardly  a  mile  from  the 
Nez  Perce  village  he  followed  the  footprints  to 
the  top  of  a  ridge,  where  he  paused  and  scanned 
the  broad,  mountainous  country  spread  out 
"before  him.  He  knew  the  Nez  Perces  must  have 
reached  this  point  shortly  after  sunrise.  He 
noted  the  general  direction  of  the  trail  as  it 
descended  the  slope  in  front,  and  accepted  that 
as  the  course  which  the  horsemen  intended  to 
follow.  Then  he  iixed  upon  the  point  where 
they  would  be  likely  to  make  their  midday  halt. 
It  was  a  clump  ot  trees  and  undergrowth  on 
the  shores  of  a  small  lake,  whose  waters 
gleamed  in  the  sun.  Paying  no  further  atten- 
tion to  the  trail  itself,  Deerfoot  set  out  at  a 
swift  lope  for  the  body  of  water. 


CHAPTER  III. 

THE  TRAIL  NORTHWARD* 

THE  small  lake  which  was  the  destination 
of  Deerfoot  seemed  to  be  only  two  or 
three  miles  distant,  but  he  knew  it  was 
all  of  twenty  miles  away.  Being  on  foot,  he 
took  the  most  direct  course.  The  route  of  the 
horses  was  of  necessity  so  tortuous  and  difficult 
that  it  must  have  been  fully  a  half  greater  than 
the  direct  one.  The  task  was  so  easy  for  the 
Shawanoe  that  he  did  not  lope  or  run,  but  kept 
up  his  swinging  gait,  which  caused  him  not  the 
least  fatigue.  Now  and  then  he  was  forced  to 
make  a  circuit  around  a  mass  of  rocks,  or  a 
densely  wooded  section,  but  these  diversions 
Were  of  little  account.  They  might  have  been 
twice  as  extensive  and  still  he  would  not  have 
minded  them. 

When  near  the  body  of  water  he  climbed 
another  ridge,  upon  whose  crest  the  growth  of 
Vood  was  slight,  and  took  a  sweeping  survey 
of  the  surrounding  country.  The  scenery  was 

37 


38  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

magnificent  and  impressive.  Far  to  the  north- 
ward rose  a  towering  range  of  mountains, 
whose  snowy  peaks  pierced  the  sky  and  sug- 
gested enormous  white  clouds  piled  against  the 
horizon.  To  the  west  rose  another  range,  one 
of  whose  summits  was  loftier  than  any  within 
his  range  of  vision.  Seen  in  the  far  distance, 
the  soft  air  gave  it  a  slight  bluish  tint,  which 
gradually  dissolved  into  fleecy  whiteness 
toward  the  crest.  To  the  eastward  the  land- 
scape was  made  up  of  ridges,  elevations  and 
valleys,  with  growths  of  pine,  cedar,  oak  and 
other  species  of  wood.  The  lake's  outlet  was 
toward  the  west,  winding  in  and  out  among  the 
depressions  until  a  curve  hid  it  from  sight  fully 
a  score  of  miles  away. 

There  was  a  biting  sharpness  in  the  air  that 
told  of  the  nearness  of  winter,  for  the  month 
of  November  was  come,  and  in  that  northern 
latitude  the  rigorous  season  would  soon  set  in. 
A  whiff  of  air  which  fanned  the  face  of  tbe 
Indian  brought  the  chill  of  snow  and  ice  in  it, 
while  here  and  there  the  leaves  of  some  of  the 
deciduous  trees  drifted  downward  like  the  soft 
falling  flakes  of  snow. 

Deerfoot  raised  the   glass   to-  his   eyes  and 


THE  TRAIL  NORTHWARD.  39 

slowly  swept  the  field  of  vision.  It  was  a  strik- 
ing proof  of  the  solitude  of  this  immense  region 
that  he  did  not  see  the  first  sign  of  a  human 
being.  No  horsemen  riding  across  the  open 
spaces  or  climbing  the  wooded  heights  formed 
a  part  of  the  picture,  nor  in  any  direction  could1 
he  detect  the  faint  smoke  of  a  camp  fire.  "Wher- 
ever the  Nez  Perces  whom  he  was  pursuing; 
might  be,  they  were  still  a  long  distance  away. 

But  the  diversified  landscape  did  not  lack 
animal  life.  The  most  interesting  sight  was 
that  of  two  grizzly  bears,  that  were  frolicking 
like  a  couple  of  puppies  in  an  open  space  at  the 
foot  of  a  slight  elevation.  Deerfoot  held  the 
glass  pointed  at  them  for  some  minutes  and 
more  than  once  smiled  at  the  odd  picture.  The 
great  hulking  brutes  tumbled,  rolled,  pawed  and 
boxed  each  other,  all  the  while  pretending  to 
bite  and  yet  taking  care  that  neither  tooth  nor 
nail  did  harm.  Then  one  would  start  to  run  off, 
as  if  frightened,  with  the  other  in  hot  pursuit. 
When  overtaken,  and  sometimes  before,  the 
fugitive  would  wheel  and  cuff  and  bite  at  the 
other,  as  if  in  a  dreadful  rage.  You  know  how 
amusing  the  antics  of  kittens  and  puppies  are. 
Imagine,  if  you  can,  two  enormous  bears  dis> 


40  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

porting  themselves  in  the  same  comical  fashion, 
and  you  will  understand  why  the  Shawanoe 
watched  the  couple  minute  after  minute,  forget- 
ting for  the  time  the  serious  business  on  which 
he  was  engaged. 

But  this  was  not  all  that  attracted  him  in 
his  surroundings.  From  out  the  undergrowth 
on  the  northern  side  of  the  stream  forming  the 
outlet  of  the  lake  came  two  or  three  hundred 
buffaloes,  their  dusky  bodies  imparting  a 
strange  appearance  of  agitation  to  that  portion 
of  the  landscape.  They  headed  for  the  stream, 
which  was  no  more  than  a  hundred  feet  in  width, 
;and  plunged  in,  pausing  long  enough  to  drink, 
flirting  their  tails  and  tossing  their  heads,  bel- 
lowing and  crowding  one  another.  The  water 
was  too  shallow  to  force  them  to  swim,  but  it 
was  splashed  and  flung  in  all  directions.  When 
those  at  the  front  emerged  they  broke  into  a 
gallop,  with  the  others  dashing  tumultuously 
after  them. 

Their  course  brought  them  within  a  few  rods 
of  the  base  of  the  elevation  on  which  Deerfoot 
was  standing.  He  walked  down  the  slope  until 
quite  near  the  head  of  the  herd,  when  he  brought 
Ms  rifle  to  his  shoulder  and  sent  a  bullet  just 


THE  TRAIL  NORTHWARD.  4J 

back  of  the  foreleg  of  one  of  the  bulls.  The 
stricken  beast  made  a  single  plunging  dive  and 
then  rolled  over  dead.  Being  on  the  fringe  of 
the  herd  he  was  not  trampled  upon,  and  none 
of  his  companions  paid  any  attention  to  him. 
The  bison  is — or  rather  was — a  stupid  creature, 
his  own  destruction  often  resulting  from  his 
lack  of  ordinary  intelligence. 

Deerfoot  waited  until  the  last  animal  had 
passed,  when  he  went  forward  to  where  the 
carcass  of  the  game  lay  and  deftly  extracted  its 
tongue.  He  did  not  touch  any  other  portion, 
but,  washing  the  delicacy  in  the  stream,  carried 
it  to  the  small  grove  of  trees  which  he  had  fixed 
upon  in  his  mind  as  the  place  of  the  encamp- 
ment of  the  Nez  Perces,  on  their  first  day  after 
leaving  their  village. 

Before  he  reached  the  shelter  of  the  clump  of 
trees  the  quick  eye  of  the  Shawanoe  saw  the 
imprints  of  hoofs,  and  signs  of  a  party  of  horse- 
men having  halted  at  the  spot.  Chief  Amokeat 
and  his  Nez  Perces  had  made  their  first  meal 
on  fish  drawn  from  the  lake,  as  was  shown  by 
the  fragments  of  their  feast  scattered  round. 
Considerable  ashes  indicated  the  spot  where  a 
fire  had  been  kindled,  in  the  usual  primitive 


42  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

manner  of  spinning  a  light  pointed  stick,  whose 
sharpened  end  was  thrust  into  another  dry 
branch. 

Thus  Deerfoot's  calculations  proved  to  be 
right.  He  had  reached  the  scene  of  the  mid- 
day halt  of  the  Nez  Perces  by  traveling  about 
two-thirds  of  the  distance  of  his  predecessors. 
With  his  flint  and  steel  he  soon  had  a  blaze 
going.  Over  it  he  broiled  the  bison  tongue, 
cut  into  thin  strips,  and  ate  his  fill.  The  meal 
was  a  big  one  for  him,  and  he  would  not  go  out 
of  his  way  to  procure  any  more  food  for  twenty- 
four  hours  or  more.  Taking  a  long  draught 
from  the  cold,  crystalline  waters,  he  resumed 
his  journey,  which  was  due  north,  his  blanket 
fastened  about  his  shoulders,  and  his  rifle  some- 
times resting  in  the  crook  made  by  bending  his 
left  arm  at  the  elbow,  after  the  style  of  modern 
sportsmen,  held  sometimes  in  a  trailing  posi- 
tion, and  again  reposing  upon  his  shoulder. 

For  two  miles  or  more  he  kept  to  the  trail, 
inasmuch  as  it  was  direct  and  nothing  was  to 
be  gained  by  leaving  it.  With  his  senses  alert, 
he  finally  turned  to  the  right,  in  order  to  take 
advantage  of  a  mass  of  rocks  on  ground  so 
elevated  that  a  more  extensive  view  than  the 


THE  TRAIL  NORTHVARD.  43 

former  one  could  be  secured.  He  climbed  as 
nimbly  as  a  monkey  to  the  top,  glanced  over  the 
many  square  miles  spread  out  before  his  gaze 
and  then  looked  northward. 

Ah !  he  saw  something  suggestive.  The  glass 
was  pointed  toward  the  spot  and  instantly  con- 
firmed the  unaided  eye.  In  the  horizon,  in  the 
mist  of  a  stretch  of  wooded  country,  he  observed 
a  faint,  almost  invisible  line  of  vapor  climbing 
upward  into  the  cold  blue  sky,  and  gradually 
dissolving,  until  at  the  height  of  a  hundred  feet 
or  less  all  trace  of  it  vanished. 

The  most  careful  scrutiny  could  not  tell  any- 
thing more.  The  spot  was  between  fifteen  and 
twenty  miles  away,  with  the  roughest  sort  of 
country  intervening.  It  was  a  good  day's  jour- 
ney distant,  but  in  the  same  moment  that  Deer- 
foot  made  his  interesting  discovery  he  resolved 
to  thread  his  way  to  the  place  without  a 
minute's  halt  on  his  part  until  he  reached  his 
destination. 

His  quick  mind  instantly  saw  several  explana- 
tions of  the  "sign."  It  could  not  be  the  Nez 
Perces  riding  north,  for  it  was  impossible  that 
they  had  lagged  to  such  an  extent  on  the  road. 
If  it  was  Amokeat  and  his  party,  they  must  be 


44  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS 

returning  from  their  raid,  or  hunting  expedi- 
tion, or  whatever  had  engaged  their  energies. 
It  would  seem  more  likely  that  the  Indians 
belonged  to  some  other  tribe.  Be  that  as  it 
may,  the  only  means  of  answering  the  question 
was  by  finding  out  for  himself,  and  that  Deer- 
foot  started  to  do  with  the  grim,  unshakable 
resolution  of  his  nature. 

With  all  his  matchless  swiftness  and  endur- 
ance, he  would  not  have  been  able  to  travel  the 
distance  until  the  night  was  well  advanced ;  for, 
though  there  were  numerous  places  where  he 
broke  into  his  fleet  lope,  and  more  than  once 
rose  to  a  higher  pace,  he  was  compelled  to  make 
detours  that  greatly  lengthened  the  distance 
and  added  to  the  labor.  Again,  a  moderate  walk 
was  the  best  he  could  do. 

About  the  middle  of  the  afternoon  he  came 
upon  the  bank  of  a  deep,  swift  stream  fully  a 
hundred  yards  wide.  No  doubt  he  could  have 
found  a  ford  had  he  taken  the  time  to  search 
for  it,  but  the  minutes  were  too  valuable  to 
waste.  With  hardly  a  moment's  hesitation  he 
took  three  steps  over  the  flinty  floor,  and  then 
found  he  had  to  swim.  He  had  not  so  much 
as  loosened  the  blanket  looped  about  his 


THE  TRAIL  NORTHWARD.  45 

shoulders  and  which  threatened  to  interfere 
with  the  movements  of  his  arms.  He  held  his 
rifle  above  his  head,  so  as  to  prevent  any  water 
running  into  the  barrel,  either  at  the  muzzle  or 
by  percolation  at  the  vent,  and  swam  with  his 
other  arm  and  his  feet.  For  a  portion  of  the 
way  he  '  '  trod  water, ' '  apparently  with  the  same 
ease  that  he  walked  upon  solid  earth.  So  he 
overcame  the  powerful  current  and  emerged 
almost  directly  opposite  the  point  where  he  had 
entered.  You  will  remember  that  in  approach- 
ing the  stream  he  left  the  trail  some  time 
before,  but  he  knew  it  was  not  far  off,  and 
doubtless  would  have  led  him  to  a  ford.  That 
he  would  not  dally  long  enough  to  hunt  out  the 
more  convenient  crossing  place  was  another 
illustration  of  Deerfoot's  indifference  to  his 
own  comfort.  What  though  his  garments  were 
dripping  when  he  stepped  upon  solid  earth 
again,  and  the  air  was  almost  wintry  in  its  chill, 
he  cared  naught.  The  exercise  threw  his  frame 
into  a  glow  and  the  moisture  gradually  left  his 
clothing. 

A  few  miles  farther  and  the  Shawanoe  solved 
one  question  over  which  he  had  been  speculat- 
ing, In  the  distance  he  caught  sight  of  a  party 


46  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

of  horsemen  approaching  from  the  direction  of 
the  camp  whose  smoke  he  had  noticed  hours 
before.  They  were  no  more  than  two  or  three 
miles  distant,  and  when  first  seen  were  coming 
almost  in  a  direct  line  for  Deerfoot. 

The  first  sight  was  that  of  a  single  horseman, 
who  had  ridden  up  the  farther  side  of  a  slope, 
and  came  into  view  as  he  neared  the  top.  With- 
out pausing,  he  began  the  descent,  and  was  fol- 
lowed by  others,  all  in  single  file,  until  seventeen 
rode  into  the  field  of  vision.  Before  Deerfoot 
brought  his  glass  into  use  he  had  recognized  the 
horsemen  as  Nez  Perces.  They  were  returning 
from  their  expedition,  and  if  the  statement  of 
the  number  that  had  left  home  was  correct,  had 
lost  at  least  three. 

The  spyglass  disclosed  the  chieftain  Amokeat 
to  the  Shawanoe,  who,  with  his  horse  on  a  walk, 
was  riding  at  the  head  of  the  procession.  The 
instrument  revealed  another  significant  fact: 

Neither  Amokeat  nor  any  of  his  warriors  was 
mounted  on  Whirlwind. 

Deerfoot  had  to  struggle  to  restrain  his 
indignation.  Had  he  been  within  reach  -of 
Amokeat  at  that  moment,  it  is  not  unlikely  he 
Would  have  dragged  him  from  his  horse  and 


THE  TRAIL  NORTHVARD.  47 

given  him  a  lesson  he  could  never  forget.  The 
very  thing  the  Shawanoe  had  feared  from  the 
first  had  occurred :  the  stallion  was  either  stolen 
or  dead. 

But  as  Deerfoot  advanced  to  meet  the  party, 
who  soon  observed  and  identified  him,  he  pulled 
himself  together.  It  would  have  taken  one  who 
knew  him  intimately,  like  Simon  Kenton,  or 
George  or  Victor  Shelton,  to  read  in  the  slightly 
pale  face  and  peculiar  gleam  of  the  dark  eyes 
the  evidence  of  the  emotion  that  the  Shawanoe 
held  well  under  control. 

It  was  in  the  depth  of  a  broad  valley,  where 
there  was  a  semblance  to  a  trail  which  had  been 
made  by  bison  or  other  animals  on  their  way 
to  water,  that  Chief  Amokeat  drew  up  and 
awaited  the  approach  of  the  Shawanoe.  The 
latter,  as  was  his  custom,  made  a  half -military 
salute,  and,  without  any  more  preliminaries 
came  to  the  point.  He  used  the  Blackfoot 
tongue,  which  was  familiar  to  the  Nez  Perce. 

' '  Deerfoot  seeks  his  horse.    Where  is  he  f ' ' 

Amokeat  must  have  expected  the  question, 
for  he  shook  his  head  and  answered  in  the  lan- 
guage of  the  Blackfeet: 

"Amokeat  is  grieved  to  tell  Deerfoot  he  will 


48  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

never  see  the  horse  he  loves  again.  It  saddens 
the  heart  of  Amokeat,  but  he  speaks  with  a  sin- 
gle tongue." 

"Is  my  horse  dead?" 

1 1  That  Amokeat  does  not  know.  Yesterday  the 
Assiniboines  took  him  from  us,  and  they  are 
now  far  on  their  way  to  their  villages." 

"tWhy  did  Amokeat  take  my  horse  from 
where  Deerfoot  had  left  him?  Why  did  he  not 
wait  until  he  could  see  Deerfoot  and  ask  him. 
He  has  stolen  my  horse." 

This  was  a  pointed  charge,  but  Deerfoot  could 
not  wholly  curb  his  anger.  The  chief,  however, 
did  not  seem  to  feel  the  sting  of  the  words, 
though  more  than  one  of  his  warriors,  who  had 
drawn  up  their  horses  and  were  looking  on  and 
listening,  showed  resentment. 

Amokeat  now  proceeded  to  tell  in  his  own 
way  what  had  befallen  him  and  his  companions. 
He  said  they  had  started  out  for  a  hunt,  though 
expecting  to  have  an  encounter  with  some  of 
their  enemies  before  their  return.  At  a  point 
about  a  hundred  miles  to  the  northeast,  while 
riding  through  a  canon,  they  were  suddenly 
attacked  by  fully  a  hundred  red  men,  whom 
they  recognized  as  Assiniboines  that  were  a 
long  way  from  their  hunting  grounds. 


THE  TRAIL  NORTHWARD.  49 

While  it  is  more  than  likely  the  Nez  Perce 
leader  exaggerated  the  number  of  his  assail- 
ants, no  doubt  they  were  superior  to  the  smaller 
company.  The  latter  put  up  a  brave  fight,  but 
before  they  could  extricate  themselves  from  the 
trap  five  of  their  number  were  shot  from  their 
horses.  This  statement  showed  that  originally 
the  Nez  Perces  numbered  more  than  a  score. 

Amokeat  was  on  the  back  of  Whirlwind,  who 
carried  him  off  with  such  amazing  speed  that 
he  was  soon  separated  from  his  warriors.  Deer- 
foot  's  lips  curled  when  he  heard  this  statement, 
for  to  him  it  was  a  proof  of  the  cowardice  of 
the  chief.  The  party  had  no  time  to  recover 
the  bodies  of  their  fallen  comrades,  who  were 
left  to  be  scalped  and  despoiled  by  the  victors, 
the  stray  horses  also  passing  into  the  hands  of 
the  Assiniboines. 

Amokeat  was  in  full  flight  when,  in  dashing 
through  a  mass  of  undergrowth,  he  suddenly 
came  face  to  face  with  eight  or  ten  Assiniboines 
(probably  the  number  was  less).  He  was 
ambushed  so  cleverly  that  escape  was  out  of  the 
question.  He  would  have  resisted,  however,  had 
not  one  of  his  enemies  called  out  that  he  wished 
to  have  a  parley  with  him. 


50  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

This  warrior,  who  was  the  leader  of  the  little 
party,  told  Amokeat  that  if  he  would  swap  the 
black  stallion  he  rode  for  the  pony  of  the  Assini- 
boines,  the  chief  would  not  be  harmed,  but 
would  be  left  free  to  go  to  his  own  home.  Had 
the  grinning  Nez  Perce  put  his  conclusion  in 
English,  it  would  have  been  something  like  this : 

"I  counted  myself  most  fortunate,  for  what 
was  to  prevent  the  Assiniboines  from  shooting 
me  from  the  back  of  the  stallion  and  then  taking 
him  away  with  them?  So  the  trade  was  made 
and  he  is  now  in  the  hands  of  the  Assiniboines. " 


CHAPTER  IV. 
THE  LAND  OF  THE  ASSINIBOINES. 

AS  Deerfoot  listened  to  the  story  of  the  Nez 
Perce  leader  his  gorge  steadily  rose,  for 
the  account  was  worse,  if  possible,  than 
he  had  expected  to  hear.  Not  only  did  he  resent 
the  cool  appropriation  of  his  steed  by  Amokeat, 
but  he  read  the  proof  of  the  cowardice  of  the 
chief,  who  had  deserted  his  companions  when  in 
peril  and  then,  instead  of  making  a  brave 
defence  when  cornered  by  the  Assiniboines,  had 
eagerly  passed  over  to  them  the  property  of 
another  in  order  to  secure  his  own  safety. 

The  Shawano^  could  not  trust  himself  any 
further  in  the  presence  of  Amokeat,  who  sat 
on  the  back  of  his  pony  and  looked  serenely 
down  in  his  face,  exulting  over  his  own  escape 
from  the  revenge  of  an  enemy. 

"Amokeat  is  a  dog!"  exclaimed  Deerfoot, 
compressing  his  lips,  turning  around  and  walk- 
ing from  the  presence  of  the  chief  and  his  party. 
He  was  on  the  alert,  for  he  half  expected  an 

51 


52  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

attack  from  more  than  one  of  them.  If  they 
had  such  action  in  mind,  it  was  changed  by  the 
command  of  the  leader,  who  called  to  them  to 
follow  him  as  he  resumed  the  journey  toward 
his  own  village. 

The  Shawanoe  had  learned  several  important 
facts.  Whirlwind  had  passed  from  the  hands 
of  the  Nez  Perces  to  those  of  a  wandering  band 
of  Assiniboines,  whose  villages  and  hunting 
grounds  lay  well  to  the  northeast,  some  below 
and  some  above  the  boundary  line  in  the  coun- 
try of  the  Saskatchewan.  Thither  the  Shawanoe 
would  go,  though  knowing  absolutely  nothing 
of  the  region  or  the  people.  In  his  contemptuous 
scorn  of  Amokeat,  Deerfoot  did  not  so  much 
as  look  behind  him  until  the  afternoon  was 
nearly  gone  and  night  was  closing  in.  Then, 
when  he  turned  his  gaze  to  the  rear,  he  saw 
nothing  of  men  or  horses. 

He  was  thinking  hard.  It  was  evident  that 
the  only  course  which  promised  hope  was  for 
him  to  keep  to  the  trail  left  by  the  Nez  Perces 
until  he  reached  the  scene  of  the  fight.  From 
that  point  he  would  be  guided  by  the  footprints 
of  the  Assiniboine  animals.  Of  course  there 
was  no  distinguishable  difference  between  those 


THE  LAND  OF  THE  ASSINIBOINES.  53 

of  Whirlwind  and  the  impressions  made  by  any 
other  of  his  species,  but  there  ought  to  be  little 
difficulty  in  keeping  to  the  main  trail  until  he 
ran  the  party  down. 

You  will  understand  that  a  number  of  puz- 
zling complications  threatened.  It  might  be 
that  the  Assiniboines  would  continue  their  hunt- 
ing or  raiding  excursions  for  days,  turning  off 
and  pushing  to  the  south  or  east  or  west,  with 
a  view  of  attacking  some  of  the  tribes  within 
United  States  territory.  The  Shawanoe  hoped 
that  such  would  be  the  course  of  the  raiders,  for 
it  would  simplify  the  situation.  He  would  have 
a  small  party  to  operate  against,  instead  of  a 
whole  village  or  tribe. 

A  singular  difficulty  presented  itself.  Deer- 
foot  relied  upon  entering  the  Assiniboine  set- 
tlements or  joining  the  raiders  without  rousing 
any  suspicion  of  his  real  errand.  Then  he 
would  content  himself  in  patience  and  await  a 
chance  of  slipping  off  with  Whirl  wind.  The  like- 
lihood of  gaining  such  opportunity  would  be 
almost  destroyed  if  his  errand  became  known. 
Now,  the  danger  of  betrayal  was  in  the  stallion 
himself.  He  could  not  be  made  to  understand 
the  need  of  cunning  and  silence,  but  was  sure 


54  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

to  show  his  joy  at  sight  of  his  owner.  When 
this  was  observed  by  his  captors,  they  would 
be  certain  to  connect  it  with  the  long  journey 
of  the  stranger,  who  would  then  have  all  he 
could  do  to  guard  his  own  life. 

Keflecting  over  this  probable  phase  of  the 
situation,  Deerfoot  decided  what  his  own  con- 
duct should  be.  He  resolved  that  if  Whirlwind 
made  a  rush  for  him,  thereby  revealing  the 
truth,  he  would  leap  upon  his  back,  throw  him- 
self forward,  and  send  the  steed  flying  off  at  the 
highest  speed.  There  would  be  imminent  risk 
of  both  being  shot  before  they  could  pass 
beyond  range,  but  the  danger  would  be  no 
greater  than  the  Shawanoe  had  faced  many 
times,  and  still  he  did  not  bear  a  scar  upon  his 
body. 

His  plan,  however,  was  to  rely  upon  subtlety. 
If  he  could  succeed  in  locating  his  pet,  he  would 
keep  out  of  the  animal's  sight  until  the  crisis 
came.  He  knew  Whirlwind  was  alive,  and  was 
not  very  far  off.  Less  than  two  days  previous 
he  had  passed  over  the  same  spot,  and  the  trail 
left  by  him  and  his  companions  could  be  readily 
followed. 

So  it  was  that  the  young  Shawanoe  pressed 


THE  LAND  OF  THE  ASSINIBOINES.  55 

forward  with  long,  swift  strides  until  the  gloom 
shut  out  all  sight  of  the  footprints.  He  could 
calculate  quite  closely  from  the  different  land- 
marks the  course  followed  by  the  Nez  Perces, 
hut  he  determined  to  run  no  chances.  Time 
was  too  precious,  and  he  was  resolved  not  to  go 
astray. 

He  was  in  a  wild,  mountainous  country,  inter- 
spersed with  ridges,  isolated  peaks  and  lofty 
ranges.  There  were  numerous  valleys,  canons, 
gorges  and  ravines,  with  stretches  of  wood  and 
stunted  undergrowth.  The  sound  of  falling 
waters,  cascades  and  rapids  was  hardly  ever 
absent.  Naturally  the  horsemen  had  sought 
the  most  favorable  route,  keeping  mainly  to  the 
valleys,  but  occasionally  riding  over  elevated 
portions.  Thus  the  course  was  easier  for  Deer- 
foot  than  it  would  have  been  had  the  party  been 
on  foot  like  himself.  The  Assiniboines  were  not 
likely  to  make  haste,  for  they  had  no  reason  for 
doing  so.  With  his  long  strides,  his  lope  and 
occasional  running,  as  the  ground  offered  the 
chance,  the  pursuer  knew  he  was  gaining  upon 
those  whom  he  was  so  anxious  to  overtake. 

When  night  had  fairly  come,  Deerfoot  sought 
out  a  place  among  the  rocks  in  which  to  sleep. 


56  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

He  did  not  look  for  food,  nor  did  he  so  much 
as  drink  from  the  mountain  stream  that  he 
heard  rippling  near  at  hand.  It  took  some  time 
to  find  a  suitable  spot  for  a  bed.  He  fixed  upon 
a  cavity  large  enough  for  him  to  stretch  out 
with  his  blanket  wrapped  about  him.  He  could 
have  readily  kindled  a  fire,  but  preferred  not  to 
do  so,  since  it  was  liable  to  draw  the  attention 
of  wild  animals,  or  possibly  of  those  of  his  own 
race  who  might  be  in  the  vicinity.  As  it  was,  a 
prowling  wolf  or  bear  might  threaten,  but  the 
youth  felt  no  misgiving  when,  after  spending 
a  brief  time  in  prayer,  he  lay  down  and  speedily 
sank  into  slumber. 

At  the  first  streakings  of  light  he  was  on  his 
feet.  Praying  again,  he  fastened  his  blanket 
about  his  shoulders,  knelt  at  the  mountain 
stream,  drank  deeply,  bathed  face  and  hands 
and  was  off  once  more.  No  move  was  made 
toward  procuring  the  morning  meal,  which  most 
folks  in  his  situation  would  have  found  indis- 
pensable. 

The  trail  was  clearly  marked,  but  before 
resuming  his  pursuit  Deerfoot  climbed  to  the 
highest  elevation  near  at  hand  and  spent  a  few 
minutes  in  studying  the  surrounding  country. 


THE  LAND  OF  THE  ASSINTOOINES.  57 

The  main  features  were  similar  to  those  already 
described,  except  perhaps  in  the  increase  of  the 
ruggedness  of  the  scenery.  He  was  within  the 
Rocky  Mountain  district,  but  kept  mainly  to 
the  foothills,  where  journeying  was  easier  than 
among  the  mountains  themselves. 

Noting  that  the  general  course  of  the  trail 
he  was  following  up  was  from  the  northeast,  he 
scanned  with  special  interest  the  country  in  that 
direction.  He  picked  out  a  point  some  twenty 
miles  distant  as  the  place  where  the  Nez  Perces 
were  most  likely  to  have  made  one  of  their 
camps.  While  he  might  have  shortened  the  time 
by  keeping  a  direct  line  to  it,  he  stuck  to  his 
resolution  not  to  turn  aside  from  the  trail. 

Though  he  did  not  catch  sight  of  any  horse- 
man, he  saw  that  which  roused  his  curiosity. 
Hardly  a  mile  away  he  observed  a  single  Indian 
coming  toward  him  on  foot.  It  may  be  said 
the  stranger  leaped  into  view,  for  Deerf oot  was 
looking  over  a  certain  spot  at  the  country 
beyond  when  a  peculiar,  flitting  movement 
caused  him  to  depress  his  glass  to  learn  the 
cause. 

The  Indian  seemed  to  have  been  following  a 
roughly  marked  path,  when  he  came  to  a  huge 


58  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

boulder,  which,  instead  of  passing  around,  he 
climbed,  walked  across  the  top,  and  then 
dropped  to  the  ground  again.  It  was  this  action 
which  caused  Deerfoot  to  turn  his  gaze  upon 
him  . 

Under  the  glass  the  stranger  was  seen  with 
as  much  distinctness  as  if  he  were  only  a  few 
rods  distant.  When  looking  at  him  the 
Shawanoe,  for  the  first  time  in  his  life,  saw  a 
dwarf  belonging  to  his  own  race.  The  man  had 
broad  shoulders  and  body  and  sturdy  legs,  but 
his  height  could  not  have  been  more  than  four 
and  a  half  feet.  Moreover  he  was  very  bow- 
legged,  was  a  hunchback,  had  3  broad  mouth, 
a  flat  nose  and  small  twinkling  eyes.  His  long 
black  hair  dangled  loosely  about  his  shoulders, 
he  was  clad  in  a  hunting  dress  similar  to  that 
worn  by  the  Shawanoe,  except  that  he  was  with- 
out a  blanket,  and  his  clothing  was  much  shab- 
bier. He  carried  a  bow  fully  double  his  own 
length,  and  advanced  with  a  curious  sidelong, 
wabbling  gait,  which  accented  more  strikingly 
his  difference  from  those  of  his  own  people. 

When  the  astonished  Deerfoot  had  noted 
these  peculiarities,  he  scanned  the  vicinity  of 
the  dwarf  for  his  companions.  None  was  seen, 


THE  LAND  OF  THE  ASSINIBOINES.  69 

and  our  friend  decided  that  the  fellow  was 
entirely  alone.  It  was  impossible  to  make  a 
guess  as  to  the  tribe  to  which  he  belonged, 
though  Deerfoot  suspected,  without  any  par- 
ticular reason,  that  he  was  an  Assiniboine.  As 
to  how  he  came  to  be  by  himself,  and  traveling 
southward,  no  theory  could  be  formed  by  the 
astute  Shawanoe. 

The  latter  lowered  his  glass,  and,  standing 
in  full  view,  watched  the  hunchback  as  he  drew 
near  with  his  crab-like,  wabbling  gait.  Although 
the  Shawanoe  was  a  much  more  conspicuous 
object  on  the  landscape,  it  was  evident  the  other 
did  not  discover  him  until  he  was  almost  within 
a  hundred  yards.  No  better  proof  could  have 
been  asked  that  the  stranger  was  afflicted  with 
poor  eyesight. 

Suddenly  he  descried  the  form  on  the  rocks 
and  stopped  short.  He  was  startled.  Then  he 
began  hurriedly  drawing  an  arrow  from  the 
bundle  hung  behind  his  shoulder.  It  was  a 
curious  coincidence,  which  caught  Deerfoot 's 
notice,  that  the  dwarf  was  left-handed  like  him- 
self. The  latter  laid  his  gun  at  his  feet  and 
raised  both  hands  above  his  head,  a  sign  of 
friendship.  The  stranger  paused  in  his  warlike 


60  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

preparations,  but  seemed  in  doubt  whether  to 
launch  a  missile  or  to  accept  the  sign  of  comity. 
Deerfoot  picked  up  his  weapon,  held  his  other 
hand  over  his  head,  and  began  carefully 
descending  the  elevation.  He  kept  a  close 
watch  on  the  other,  for  he  half  expected  he 
would  let  fly  with  his  arrow,  and  it  would  have 
been  unpleasant,  to  say  the  least,  to  act  as  a 
target,  even  at  a  considerable  distance.  The 
dwarf  stood  motionless,  closely  watching  the 
Shawanoe  as  he  came  toward  him,  evidently 
doubting  and  hesitating,  but  Deerfoot  kept  up 
his  signs  of  goodwill,  which  the  other  could  not 
fail  to  understand. 

It  is  not  unreasonable  to  believe  that  the  per- 
sonality of  Deerfoot  had  much  to  do  with  remov- 
ing the  misgivings  of  the  stranger,  for  the  smil- 
ing face  of  the  Shawanoe  as  he  drew  near  would 
have  impressed  anyone,  though  Deerfoot  him- 
self would  never  have  admitted  anything  of  the 
kind.  Be  that  as  it  may,  the  meeting  was 
friendly,  though  Deerfoot  did  not  offer  his  hand 
in  greeting,  for  he  thought  it  unlikely  that  the 
other  would  have  understood  the  meaning  of 
the  salutation. 

He  addressed  the  stranger  in  the  Blackfoot 


THE  LAND  OF  THE  ASSINIBOINES.  61 

tongue,  only  to  receive  a  shake  of  the  head  in 
reply.  The  dwarf  did  not  understand  a  sylla- 
ble. In  response,  he  used  a  language  that  was 
"all  Greek "  to  the  Shawanoe.  There  was  no 
common  ground,  except  that  of  signs,  upon 
which  the  two  could  meet,  and  that  was  of  slight 
service. 

"Assiniboine?  Assiniboine  f ' '  asked  Deer- 
foot,  with  a  marked  rising  inflection.  Another 
shake  of  the  head  might  indicate  a  denial  of 
such  tribal  relation,  or  what  was  more  likely,  a 
failure  to  comprehend  the  question.  Deerfoot 
repeated  the  word  "Nez  Perce,"  and  was 
replied  to  as  before. 

The  first  bit  of  information  that  the  Shaw- 
anoe could  gather  for  a  time  was  that  the  Indian 
of  abbreviated  stature  came  from  the  north. 
That  was  clearly  established,  as  was  the  direc- 
tion which  he  was  following,  but  nothing  was 
brought  to  light  as  to  the  nature  of  his  errand 
in  the  south. 

The  thought  had  been  in  the  mind  of  our 
friend  from  the  first  that  this  misshapen  red 
man  had  seen  the  party  of  Assiniboines  who 
held  Whirlwind.  How  was  the  question  to  be 
asked? 


62  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

Deerfoot  stepped  to  a  tree  resembling  the 
water  maple  that  grew  a  few  feet  to  the  right 
of  them.  Its  diameter  was  a  foot  or  more.  With 
his  hunting  knife  he  cut  out  a  square  some  six 
inches  in  diameter  and  carefully  peeled  it  off, 
the  other  attentively  watching  him  all  the  time. 

Deerfoot  now  proceeded  to  trace  on  the  filmy 
inner  side  of  the  bark  with  the  point  of  his  knife 
the  outlines  of  a  horse  with  unusually  long  tail 
and  mane.  This  done,  he  depicted  a  warrior 
sitting  on  him  with  no  saddle  except  a  blanket 
and  without  bridle.  When  the  crude  but  sym- 
metrical picture  was  finished,  he  handed  the 
piece  of  bark  to  the  other.  The  dwarf  studied 
it  a  minute  or  two  with  close  interest,  Deerfoot 
meanwhile  watching  his  countenance. 

Suddenly  the  homely  visage  lit  up.  The 
stranger  recognized  the  figure  of  the  beautiful 
stallion.  He  had  seen  him ! 

With  a  thrill  of  hope  the  Shawanoe  pointed 
north,  his  gesture  clearly  meaning  that  he 
wished  to  know  whether  it  was  there  the  animal 
had  been  met.  The  stranger  shook  his  head. 
Deerfoot  was  disappointed,  fearing  his  mean- 
ing had  not  been  understood.  It  seemed  to  him 
that  the  Assiniboine  horsemen  must  be  journey- 


THE  LAND  OF  THE  ASSINIBOINES.  63 

ing  in  that  direction,  and  the  negative  motion 
of  the  other's  head  might  indicate  that  he  did 
not  catch  the  drift  of  the  question. 
•  Deerfoot  now  pointed  toward  the  rising  sun, 
only  to  be  answered  by  another  shake  of  his 
head.  He  next  indicated  the  northeast.  The 
dwarf  nodded  vigorously  several  times.  Then 
he  gazed  steadily  into  the  handsome  face  and 
began  circling  one  of  his  hands  rapidly  around 
his  head,  pointing  to  his  moccasins  and  then 
to  the  sky.  These  peculiar  gestures  were 
repeated  a  number  of  times,  when  they  ceased 
as  abruptly  as  they  began. 

The  Shawanoe  could  not  form  the  first  idea  of 
what  the  man  was  trying  to  say,  nor  did  he 
ever  learn. 

The  dwarf  perceived  that  he  could  not  make 
himself  understood,  gave  up  the  effort,  and  with 
an  awkward  good-bye  resumed  his  tramp  south- 
ward. Uncertain  of  what  whim  might  suddenly 
take  possession  of  him,  Deerfoot,  while  also 
moving  in  the  opposite  direction,  kept  a  furtive 
watch  to  the  rear.  He  did  not  see  the  dwarf 
look  behind  him  and  it  is  not  probable  that  he 
meditated  any  wrong. 

The  Shawanoe  was  not  satisfied  with  what 


64  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS, 

had  occurred.  Glancing  down  at  the  trail  and 
as  far  ahead  as  it  could  be  traced,  he  saw  that 
its  course  was  due  north.  He  'believed  that  it 
led  for  a  long  way  toward  that  point  of  the 
compass.  If  such  proved  the  fact  the  hunch- 
back had  tried  to  deceive  the  inquirer  by  making 
him  believe  that  Whirlwind  was  to  be  sought 
to  the  northeast.  The  Shawanoe  could  no  longer 
doubt  that  the  nature  of  his  inquiry  had  been 
understood,  and  the  reply  of  the  dwarf  was 
clear.  Deerfoot  was  inclined  to  believe  the 
strange  creature  really  belonged  to  the  Assini- 
boine  tribe  and  was  trying  to  shield  his  country- 
men. 

Moreover,  the  Shawanoe  knew  little  of  this 
people.  He  understood  in  a  vague  way  that 
their  homes  were  well  to  the  northward,  and 
partly  in  another  country  than  the  United 
States.  The  true  direction,  however,  was  to  the 
northeast.  Thus  the  Indian  of  abbreviated 
stature  had  indicated  the  right  course  after  all. 

Adhering  to  his  policy,  Deerfoot  wasted  no 
time.  While  these  thoughts  were  passing 
through  his  mind,  he  was  loping  forward  with 
the  trail  still  as  his  guide,  and  had  not  gone  two 
miles  when  he  came  upon  the  scene  o*  the  fight 
between  the  Assiniboines  and  the  Nez  Perces. 


"This  Horse  was  Whirlwind 


CHAPTER  V. 
A  WELCOME  SIGHT. 

THE  first  sign  that  caught  the  eye  of  the 
Shawanoe  was  the  mute  forms  of  the 
five  Nez  Perces,  stretched  here  and 
there  over  a  space  of  an  eighth  of  a  mile.  All 
had  been  scalped  and  mutilated.  But  he  had 
seen  such  shocking  sights  before,  and  he  did  not 
go  near  the  bodies  nor  give  them  further  atten- 
tion. It  was  no  great  task  for  him  to  transfer 
his  interest  from  the  trail  of  one  party  to  that 
of  another,  and  he  was  speedily  loping  forward 
as  rapidly  as  before. 

To  his  astonishment  he  had  gone  only  a  little 
way  when  he  discovered  a  marked  change  of 
course.  The  Assiniboine  footprints  pointed  to 
the  northeast.  The  information  gained  from  the 
dwarf  was  reliable ;  the  horsemen  were  heading 
for  their  own  villages. 

The  Shawanoe  called  all  his  consummate 
woodcraft  into  play  to  determine  how  much 
time  had  passed  since  the  party  rode  over  this 

»  65 


66  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

ground.  He  figured  that  it  must  have  been  on 
the  previous  day,  though  such  conclusion  did 
not  fully  accord  with  what  was  told  him  by  the 
chieftain  Amokeat.  His  opinion  of  that  leader, 
however,  made  him  ready  to  believe  anything 
ill  of  him. 

If  the  horsemen  had  twenty-four  hours  the 
start  of  their  pursuer,  and  kept  up  their  rapid 
flight,  he  could  hardly  expect  to  come  up  with 
them  for  several  days.  Deerfoot  believed  he 
could  steadily  gain,  but  he  was  on  foot  and  they 
were  mounted.  Such  gain,  in  the  most  favorable 
circumstances,  must  be  gradual.  Had  they 
halted  for  any  length  of  time,  or  diverged  from 
the  regular  course,  the  prospect  would  be  all 
the  more  favorable  for  him. 

With  this  theory,  Deerfoot  now  made  a 
change  of  policy.  Instead  of  keeping  to  the 
trail  with  all  its  windings  (made  in  order  to 
accommodate  the  horses),  he  adopted  his  other 
recourse — that  of  reasoning  out  the  route  most 
likely  to  be  followed  by  the  warriors,  and,  fixing 
upon  a  camp  far  in  advance,  making  his  way 
thither  by  the  most  direct  course.  Provided  he 
fell  into  no  error,  he  would  thus  save  miles  of 
distance  and  hours  of  time. 


A  VELCOME  SIGHT.  67 

It  was  still  early  in  the  day  when  he  forded 
a  narrow,  rapid  stream,  in  which  the  water  rose 
to  his  waist,  and  climbing  the  nearest  elevation, 
which  was  a  ridge  crowned  with  rocks  and  a 
few  stunted  cedars,  he  paused  to  make  a  study 
of  the  country  spread  before  him. 

Naturally  his  first  scrutiny  was  directed  to 
the  northeast.  In  that  direction  the  surface 
was  rolling,  with  numerous  valleys  and  moun- 
tain spurs,  but  none  of  the  latter  was  of  great 
height.  The  towering  peaks  rose  more  to  the 
north  and  west.  There  was  variety  and  yet 
sameness  in  the  vast  undulating  expanse,  with 
it  wealth  of  wood,  of  rocks,  some  bleak  and  dark 
of  color,  and  others  fringed  with  vegetation,  of 
swelling  hills,  many  of  which  elsewhere  would 
have  been  called  mountains,  and  beautiful  val- 
leys, with  numerous  streams  hidden  through 
most  of  their  flow,  all  seeking  an  outlet  in  the 
Atlantic  or  Pacific,  hundreds  of  miles  away. 

The  bed  of  one  mountain  torrent  could  be 
traced  for  a  long  distance  by  the  mist  that 
hovered  over  it,  though  the  spectator  could  not 
catch  the  first  sight  of  the  water  itself.  At 
another  point  to  the  right  the  Shawanoe  saw 
what  appeared  to  be  a  curved  streak  of  silver, 


66  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

fifty  feet  in  height  and  but  two  or  three  feet 
wide.  It  looked  to  be  absolutely  motionless, 
and  yet  it  was  a  waterfall,  from  whose  foamy 
base  little  clouds  of  steam  floated  upward  or 
were  wafted  aside  by  the  wisps  of  wind, 

Deerf oot  refrained  from  using  the  instrument 
until  he  had  done  all  he  could  with  his  unaided 
vision.  His  reason  for  this  was  his  wish  to 
place  himself  in  the  same  situation  as  the 
Assiniboine  party0  None  of  them  knew  what 
a  spyglass  is,  and  he  tried  to  reason  from  what 
he  saw  upon  what  point  they  would  be  likely 
to  fix  as  their  halting  place. 

Had  he  known  the  precise  minute  or  hour 
when  the  horsemen  had  ridden  past  the  spot 
near  where  he  was  standing,  the  problem  would 
have  been  easy  of  solution,  but  no  Indian  or 
white  hunter  ever  lived  who  could  settle  such  a 
question  without  more  definite  data.  We  hear 
stories  of  achievements  of  that  nature,  but  most 
of  them  are  mythical,  though  the  woodcraft  of 
many  a  trailer  has  enabled  him  to  do  things 
which  to  others  were  impossible. 

The  Shawanoe  believed  the  Assiniboines  had 
ridden  past  at  a  moderate  pace  about  the  mid- 
dle of  the  preceding  day.  Acting  on  that  sur> 


A  WELCOME  .  IGHTc  & 

position,  lie  selected  a  point  somewhat  more 
than  a  dozen  miles  to  the  northeast  as  the  one 
where  they  would  have  been  likely  to  encamp 
for  the  night.  The  trouble  was  that  there  was 
little  in  the  wooded  place,  near  a  small  body  of 
water,  bearing  a  striking  resemblance  to  the 
lake  of  the  previous  day,  to  favor  it  above  others 
in  the  neighborhood.  They  might  have  halted 
several  miles  beyond  or  that  much  nearer  the 
standpoint  of  the  Shawanoe. 

At  the  best  it  was  guesswork;  but  having 
made  his  conjecture,  Deerfoot  now  raised  the 
glass  to  his  eyes  and  centered  his  attention  upon 
the  spot.  As  he  did  so  he  was  thrilled  by  a 
discovery  which  set  his  nerves  at  once  on  edge. 

On  the  edge  of  the  trees,  near  the  lake  itself, 
he  saw  two  Indians,  standing  as  if  in  conversa- 
tion. When  he  lowered  the  glass  it  was  impos- 
sible to  make  them  out  at  so  great  distance,  but 
the  instrument  revealed  them  clearly.  Sud- 
denly one  of  the  couple  came  forward  to  the 
boay  of  water,  lay  down  on  his  face  and  drank. 
The  other  walked  part  of  the  way  and  then 
stopped,  and  was  rejoined  by  the  former.  It 
looked  as  if  they  resumed  their  converse  over 
some  subject  in  which  they  were  unusually 
interested. 


70  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

Deerfoot  was  almost  certain  that  the  two 
were  members  of  the  party  for  whom  he  was 
hunting.  If  such  were  the  fact,  something  must 
have  occurred  to  cause  them  to  linger  on  their 
return  to  their  villages. 

While  he  was  speculating  as  to  whether  this 
was  probable,  smoke  began  filtrating  through 
the  tops  of  the  pines,  behind  the  couple.  A  fire 
had  been  started,  though  the  hour  of  day  was 
one  when  the  party  naturally  would  have  been 
in  motion. 

The  question  remained  as  to  whether  the 
horsemen  intended  to  stay  where  they  were 
until  the  morrow  or  would  soon  resume  their 
journey.  The  last  supposition  seemed  the  most 
likely. 

The  decision  of  the  Shawanoe  was  to  lessen 
the  distance  between  him  and  the  horsemen 
while  such  a  fine  opportunity  offered.  Flinging 
the  glass  over  his  shoulder  he  set  out  to  over- 
take the  party  in  advance,  doing  his  best  to 
decide  upon  the  right  policy,  now  that  the  impor- 
tant information  had  come  to  him. 

The  most  puzzling  phase  of  the  situation  has 
been  explained.  But  for  the  certain  recognition 
that  Whirlwind  would  make  of  his  master,  the 


A  WELCOME  SIGHT.  71 

latter  would  have  gone  direct  to  the  Assiniboine 
camp  and  watched  for  his  opportunity;  but  as 
nearly  as  he  could  determine  there  must  be  fully 
a  score  if  not  more  of  the  warriors.  To  "cut 
out"  the  stallion  from  among  them  when  the 
sun  was  shining  was  clearly  an  impossibility, 
though,  as  has  been  intimated,  Deerfoot  was 
ready  to  make  the  attempt  if  no  other  chance 
offered. 

Discretion  warned  him  to  keep  out  of  sight 
of  the  party  until  nightfall.  He  could  then 
reconnoiter  the  camp  with  good  prospect  of  get- 
ting Whirlwind  away.  If  the  Assiniboines 
placed  a  sentinel  on  duty,  Deerfoot  was  confi- 
dent he  could  get  the  better  of  him  in  the  dark- 
ness. The  raiders  would  not  be  looking  for  any 
attack,  though  when  on  the  war  trail  they  were 
sure  to  adopt  the  usual  precautions. 

The  Shawanoe,  therefore,  had  not  gone  far 
when  he  decided  upon  his  plan  of  action.  He 
would  stay  out  of  sight  of  men  and  animals 
until  the  gloom  gave  him  his  opportunity. 
Meanwhile  it  was  well  to  decrease  the  inter- 
vening distance  so  far  as  was  prudent. 

It  was  yet  early  in  the  afternoon  when  the 
interval  was  cut  in  half.  While  doing  this  he 


72  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

stopped  and  made  frequent  surveys  of  the  lake 
and  wood.  It  would  have  made  no  great  dif- 
ference had  he  been  observed  by  the  horsemen, 
for  it  was  impossible  for  them  to  suspect  his 
identity  or  his  business.  Still,  it  was  just  as  well 
to  have  his  presence  in  the  neighborhood 
unknown  and  unsuspected. 

All  this  time  the  vapor  was  climbing  through 
the  tree  tops.  Those  who  had  kindled  the  fire 
were  still  there,  for  they  could  not  leave  by  the 
"back  door"  without  being  seen  by  the  vigilant 
Shawanoe.  He  was  surprised  that  none  showed 
himself  during  these  hours.  The  couple  who 
had  first  caught  his  eye  had  disappeared  long 
before  in  the  wood  and  remained  out  of  sight. 

His  interest  led  Deerfoot  to  continue  edging 
forward  until,  by  the  close  of  the  afternoon,  he 
was  within  a  mile  of  the  camp.  He  had  accom- 
plished this  by  taking  advantage  of  all  the  pro- 
tection possible.  Since  plenty  offered,  and  the 
Assiniboines  were  not  apprehending  anything 
of  that  nature,  the  task  was  not  so  hard  as  it 
might  seem. 

The  weather  remained  clear,  though  still  keen 
and  cold.  The  Shawanoe  had  not  eaten  food  for 
a  long  time,  but  he  gave  no  thought  to  that.  He 


A  WELCOME  SIGHT.  73 

was  ready  to  wait  until  the  morrow  before  satis- 
fying .his  hunger.  His  one  resolution  was  to 
regain  Whirlwind,  if  such  a  feat  was  within  the 
range  of  human  possibility. 

The  young  Shawanoe  did  not  forget  that  he 
was  acting  upon  a  theory  that  might  prove  a 
rope  of  sand.  The  camp  which  he  was  recon- 
noitering  with  such  care  might  be  that  of 
another  party,  even  though  they  were  Assini- 
boines.  The  probabilities,  however,  justified 
him  in  believing  he  was  on  the  right  track. 

A  curious  feature  of  the  situation  was  that 
he  had  not  as  yet  seen  a , single  horse.  When  a 
company  of  Indians  stopped  to  rest,  even  for 
a  short  time,  they  were  accustomed  to  allow 
their  animals  to  graze.  Between  the  margin 
of  wood  and  the  lake  the  dull  green  of  grass 
was  plainly  perceptible.  Perhaps  there  was 
some  open  spot  among  the  trees  which  offered 
better  pasturage  for  the  horses.  Deerf oot  could 
not  feel  clear  in  his  own  mind  as  to  the  explana- 
tion of  the  absence  of  all  sight  of  the  animals. 

He  was  speculating  as  to  the  cause  of  this 
singular  fact  when  six  horses  issued  from 
among  the  timber  and  came  frolicking  and 
cavorting  down  to  the  water's  margin,  where 


74  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

they  thrust  their  noses  into  the  lake  to  drink. 
No  Indians  showed  themselves,  the  training  of 
the  animals  making  it  unnecessary  to  guard 
them. 

One  of  the  steeds  emerged  from  a  point 
several  yards  to  the  right  of  the  others  and  kept 
apart  from  them,  as  if  he  felt  too  proud  to 
associate  with  those  of  common  blood.  When 
he  lowered  his  head  he  was  fully  a  couple  of 
rods  from  his  companions.  This  horse  was  the 
stallion  Whirlwind. 

The  sight  of  his  peerless  creature  threw  the 
Shawanoe  into  a  flutter,  and  it  required  all  his 
self-control  to  restrain  himself  from  running 
forward  and  calling  to  Whirlwind  to  meet  him, 
but  he  resolutely  held  his  ground,  sheltered 
behind  the  projection  of  the  boulder  he  had  used 
as  a  screen  in  keeping  the  camp  under  surveil- 
lance. The  situation  was  so  critical  that  Deer- 
foot  perhaps  was  over-cautious. 

He  reasoned  keenly.  A  mile  separated  steed 
and  master.  The  latter  could  have  no  thought 
that  the  youth  from  whom  he  had  been  sepa- 
rated for  weeks  was  near.  If  Deerfoot  emitted 
his  piercing  whistle  the  call  would  not  be  rec- 
ognized on  the  instant,  and  the  animal  would  be 


A  VELCOME  SIGHT.  75 

confused.  The  dress  of  Deerfoot  and  his 
appearance  were  so  similar  to  those  of  other 
Indians  that  Whirlwind  would  not  be  likely  to 
identify  him  until  they  came  considerably 
nearer  each  other.  The  Assiniboines  were  in 
camp.  They,  too,  would  hear  the  signal  and  be 
quick  to  discover  what  it  meant.  Rather  than 
have' the  black  stallion  escape  from  their  pos- 
session they  would  shoot  him  as  he  ran.  A  red 
man  always  prefers  to  slay  a  captive  rather  than 
surrender  him.  With  the  horse  shot  Deerfoot 
would  be  forced  to  have  it  out  with  the  war- 
riors at  such  disadvantage  that  only  one  result 
could  follow,  for  the  Assiniboines  were  not  only 
armed  with  guns — at  least  several  were  thus 
equipped — but  they  were  daring  and  resolute. 

It  was  these  fears  which  caused  the  young 
Shawanoe  to  decide  to  remain  in  hiding  until 
nightfall,  which  was  now  at  hand.  It  is  quite 
probable  that  the  plan  of  calling  Whirlwind  to 
him  would  have  succeeded,  as  the  youth  after- 
ward admitted;  but  it  certainly  would  have 
been  attended  with  risk  of  failure,  and  he  never 
regretted  the  decision  he  made  within  the  same 
minute  that  he  caught  sight  of  his  equine  friend. 

Like  the  king  that  he  was,  the  stallion,  having 


76  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

drank  his  fill,  wheeled  and  with  dignified  step 
passed  back  among  the  trees,  keeping  apart 
from  the  others,  who  would  have  felt  (as  had 
Zigzag  felt)  the  impact  of  the  fiercely  driven 
heels  had  they  ventured  upon  any  familiarity. 

So  it  came  about  that  Deerfoot  the  Shawanoe 
stayed  in  concealment  until  the  gathering  gloom 
shut  out  the  grove  and  its  occupants.  There 
was  no  moon,  but  the  star-gleam  was  strong  and 
gave  him  all  the  light  he  wished.  He  preferred 
that  to  stronger  illumination. 

During  the  slow  passing  minutes  that  the 
youth  waited  he  reached  the  conclusion  that  the 
Assiniboines  in  the  timber  were  only  a  part  of 
the  horsemen  that  had  overthrown  the  Nez 
Perces.  Some  cause  had  led  them  to  divide,  and 
a  half  dozen  or  so  were  waiting  for  the  others 
to  rejoin  them.  Why  this  separation  had  taken 
place  Deerfoot  could  not  understand,  nor  did  he 
allow  himself  to  be  interested  in  the  question. 
The  reason  for  his  belief  lay  in  the  number  of 
horses  that  had  issued  from  among  the  trees. 
In  the  circumstances,  all  the  animals  would  have 
gone  for  water  at  the  same  time. 

Deerfoot  was  cool,  calm  and  perfectly  poised 
when  he  stepped  from  behind  the  boulder  and 


A  WELCOME  SIGHT.  77 

began  his  stealthy  approach  to  the  Assiniboine 
camp.  He  loosed  his  blanket  from  the  fastening 
which  held  the  fold  together  in  front  and  laid 
it  over  his  right  arm.  He  confidently  expected 
a  fight  and  did  not  mean  to  have  his  limbs  ham- 
pered. Instinctively  he  slipped  his  hand  down 
to  his  girdle.  The  knife  was  there.  He  had 
examined  his  rifle  long  before.  The  charge  and 
priming  were  as  they  should  be,  and  he  grasped 
the  weapon  with  his  left  hand.  He  gave  no 
thought  to  the  fact  that  more  than  twenty-four 
hours  had  passed  since  he  had  eaten  food.  He 
was  accustomed  to  such  abstinence  and  the  sit- 
uation drove  away  all  appetite.  He  would  not 
have  taken  a  dozen  paces  to  the  right  or.  left  to 
pick  up  nourishment. 

A  complication  was  threatened  by  the  return 
of  the  other  Assiniboines,  but  aside  from  that 
Deerfoot  did  not  mean  to  wait  a  half  hour 
longer  than  was  necessary.  His  stealthy 
approach  was  continued  until  in  the  gloom  he 
made  out  the  dim  outlines  of  the  timber.  The 
western  terminus  of  the  lake  lay  just  to  the  left, 
so  that  in  order  to  reach  the  camp  he  had  to 
diverge  for  some  rods  in  that  direction.  But  the 
way  was  clear  and  the  brief  circuit  brought  him 


78  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

to  the  edge  of  the  wood,  with  the  calm  sheet  of 
water  stretching  for  a  half  mile  to  the  east, 
which  was  on  his  right  hand. 

The  first  step  was  to  locate  the  Indians  and 
their  horses,  for  the  wise  general  acquaints  him- 
self with  the  battle  ground  upon  which  the 
momentous  issue  is  to  be  decided.  The  twinkle 
of  light  that  glimmered  among  the  trees  guided 
the  Shawanoe,  and  with  little  trouble  he  gained 
a  position  from  which,  unsuspected  by  the 
Assiniboines,  he  had  a  perfect  view  of  them. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

COMRADES  TRUE. 

THE  picture  upon  which  Deerfoot  looked 
recalled  many  similar  ones  in  Ohio  and 
Kentucky.     There    were    six  warriors 
seated  on  the  ground,  most  of  the  party  in  loll- 
ing   postures,     three     smoking    long-stemmed 
pipes,  and  all  had  evidently  partaken  of  food  a 
short  time  before,  for  a  faint  odor  of  broiling 
venison  or  bison  meat  was  in  the  air,  and  the 
signs  within  the  camp  showed  that  a  meal  had 
been  prepared  and  eaten. 

The  burning  sticks  were  piled  against  the 
base  of  a  tree  more  than  two  feet  in  diameter 
and  were  burning  so  vigorously  that  the  circle 
of  light  reached  well  beyond  the  group  and 
pierced  the  shadows  among  the  pines  and 
cedars.  A  brief  survey  of  the  group  left  no 
doubt  that  they  were  awaiting  the  arrival  of 
friends,  as  they  had  been  doing  for  hours  past, 
and  might  continue  to  do  through  the  remaining 
night. 

79 


80  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

There  was  no  reason  why  the  Shawanoe 
should  lose  any  time  in  surveying  the  Assini- 
boines,  for  he  felt  no  interest  in  them.  He  was 
surprised  to  note  that  every  one  had  a  rifle,  none 
being  armed  with  the  primitive  bow  and  arrows. 
He  tarried  only  long  enough  to  decide  in  his 
mind  who  was  the  leader,  and  therefore  the  new 
proprietor  of  Whirlwind.  Deerfoot  had  no 
special  enmity  against  him,  for  it  was  Amokeat, 
the  Nez  Perce  chieftain,  who  was  responsible 
for  the  loss  of  the  stallion. 

The  Shawanoe  had  straightened  up  and  was 
silently  withdrawing  from  his  advanced  posi- 
tion, holding  the  sheltering  tree  between  him 
and  the  camp  fire,  when  he  was  startled  by  a 
whinny  from  some  point  in  the  gloom  close  at 
hand.  Turning  his  head  he  caught  the  dim  out- 
lines of  Whirlwind  making  his  way  among  the 
trees  toward  him.  The  sagacious  stallion, 
through  that  wonderfully  acute  sense  of  smell 
which  his  species  often  show,  had  discovered  the 
proximity  of  his  master  and  had  set  out  to  find 
him.  The  space  between  the  two  was  so  brief 
that  Deerfoot  had  hardly  paused  and  looked 
behind  him  when  the  silken  nose  of  Whirlwind 
was  thrust  against  his  face,  and  after  his  old 


COMRADES  TRUE.  8f 

fashion  he  touched  his  tongue  to  the  cool  cheek 
of  his  master  and  then  affectionately  rested  his 
head  on  his  shoulder. 

It  was  a  critical  situation,  for  the  steed  had 
already  warned  the  Assiniboines  that  something 
unusual  was  going  on,  but  the  delight  and  grati- 
tude of  the  Shawanoe  were  so  deep  that  he  could 
not  deny  himself  the  pleasure  of  caressing  his 
steed.  He  touched  his  lips  to  his  nose,  patted 
his  forehead  and  neck  and  murmured: 

"Whirlwind!  Deerfoot 's  heart  is  thankful! 
He  is  happy ?  for  he  has  found  his  best  friend. 
No  one  shall  part  us  again ! ' ' 

But  in  that  joyful  moment  the  delicate  situa- 
tion could  not  be  forgotten.  Instead  of  leaping 
upon  the  back  of  the  horse  where  the  trees  and 
limbs  would  interfere  with  a  rapid  flight,  in 
addition  to  placing  the  rider  at  a  disadvantage 
in  case  of  attack,  Deerfoot  told  Whirlwind  to 
pass  out  of  the  timber  and  wait  for  him.  The 
horse  promptly  obeyed,  for  he  understood  the 
whispered  words.  Then  the  youth  placed  him- 
self directly  behind  the  horse,  ready  to  fight 
off  any  and  all  assailants,  and  followed  the 
steed,  thus  forming  his  rear  guard. 

Between  Deerfoot  and  the  camp  fire  loomed 


82  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

the  form  of  an  Assiniboine  warrior.  His  sensi- 
tive ear  had  heard  the  soft  neigh,  and  even  the 
low  voice  of  Deerfoot.  He  knew  that  a  thief 
was  in  the  grove — he  must  have  thought  he  was 
a  Nez  Perce — and  was  making  off  with  Whirl- 
wind, who  was  held  in  higher  esteem  than  all 
the  other  horses  together. 

The  Shawanoe  saw  that  a  fight  was  inevitable. 
He  passed  his  rifle  to  the  right  hand,  over  whose 
arm  his  blanket  was  resting,  and  drew  his  hunt- 
ing knife.  Even  in  that  crisis  the  chivalry  of 
the  Shawanoe  would  not  allow  him  to  take  full 
advantage  of  the  situation.  He  could  have 
struck  down  his  enemy  without  the  least  risk 
to  himself.  He  chose  rather  to  give  his  antagon- 
ist warning. 

"Dog  of  an  Assiniboine ! ' '  he  muttered  in  the 
Blackfoot  tongue.  "The  Shawanoe  fears  you 
not!" 

The  warrior  leaped  forward  like  a  crouching 
tiger.  He  had  caught  sight  of  the  lithe  form  in 
the  faint  glow  of  the  firelight,  and  he  assailed 
it  with  all  the  vicious  vigor  of  his  nature.  The 
lightning-like  blow  of  his  knife  made  a  hissing 
sound  as  it  cut  the  air  and  buried  its  point  in 
the  blanket  which  Deerfoot  thrust  forward  to 


COMRADES  TRUE.  &3 

receive  it.  Then  the  Shawanoe  delivered  his 
blow.  Enough  said. 

Brief  as  was  the  terrific  encounter,  it  occurred 
too  close  to  camp  for  the  other  Assiniboines  to 
remain  in  doubt  for  a  moment.  Moreover,  when 
the  victim  of  the  Shawanoe 's  prowess  went 
down  not  to  rise  again  he  uttered  an  ear-split- 
ting screech  which  echoed  through  the  grove. 

Deerfoot  turned  and  ran  among  the  trees 
after  Whirlwind.  From  some  cause  the  stallion 
had  changed  his  direction  and  was  waiting  on 
the  edge  of  the  wood  several  rods  from  where 
his  master  emerged.  The  latter  glanced  hastily 
around  in  the  gloom  without  seeing  him.  He 
uttered  a  low  signal  which  the  horse  instantly 
obeyed,  and  with  another  neigh  of  delight 
trotted  to  his  master. 

Deerfoot  was  about  to  vault  upon  his  back, 
but  hesitated.  The  sounds  indicated  that  the 
whole  five  Assiniboines  had  rushed  to  the  spot 
and  were  already  within  arm's  reach  of  master 
and  stallion.  They  would  be  so  near  when 
Whirlwind  made  his  dash  that  they  would  fire 
a  volley  which  was  certain  to  kill  one  or  the 
other,  and  not  unlikely  both  rider  and  animal. 

Nor  could  anything  be  gained  by  turning  at 


84  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

bay  and  fighting  the  whole  five,  though  the 
Shawanoe  would  not  have  hesitated  to  do  that 
had  no  other  recourse  been  left  to  him.  With 
that  quick  perception  which  approached  the 
marvelous  in  him  he  ordered  Whirlwind  to  gal- 
lop along  the  side  of  the  timber  and  again  wait 
for  him.  Then  Deerf  oot  dived  among  the  trees 
as  if  in  fear  of  the  fierce  warriors  closing  in 
upon  him.  His  aim  was  to  draw  the  attention 
of  the  party  from  the  stallion  to  himself,  and  he 
succeeded. 

For  three  or  four  minutes  he  dodged  in  and 
out,  where  in  the  gloom  he  could  not  escape 
more  than  one  collision  with  the  limbs.  The 
whole  party  plunged  after  him.  They  knew 
that  the  audacious  stranger  had  slain  one 
of  their  number  and  were  determined  he  should 
not  escape  their  vengeance,  for  with  him  dis- 
posed of  the  black  stallion  could  be  recovered 
at  leisure. 

All  the  time  that  Deerf  oot  was  whisking  here 
and  there,  leaping  to  the  right  and  left,  and  get- 
ting forward  as  fast  as  he  could,  he  held  his 
knife  grasped  and  ready  to  use  on  the  instant 
the  emergency  arose.  He  was  so  handicapped 
by  the  obstructions  and  the  darkness  that  he 


COMRADES  TRUE.  85 

could  do  little  more  than  hold  his  own.  His 
enemies  were  too  near  for  him  to  hide  himself 
from  them.  Had  he  attempted  to  do  so  the 
whole  lot  would  have  descended  upon  him  like 
an  avalanche. 

There  was  no  chance  to  select  his  route;  all 
he  could  do  was  to  drive  ahead  and  avoid  being 
driven  at  bay.  He  took  care  not  to  pass  near 
the  fire,  where  the  glow  would  have  betrayed 
him.  He  feared  his  foes  would  shoot,  though 
everything  was  so  obscured  that  they  were 
likely  to  wait  in  the  hope  of  capturing  him  or 
gaining  a  fairer  aim. 

A  faint  lighting  up  in  front  showed  that  he 
was  nearing  the  edge  of  the  wood.  Two  bounds 
carried  him  clear,  and  then,  with  the  utmost 
speed  of  which  he  was  capable,  he  ran  along 
the  margin  to  a  slight  turn  in  the  conformation 
of  the  grove,  when  he  leaped  out  into  the  open 
air  and  was  off  with  as  great  fleetness  as  he 
displayed  on  the  home- stretch  in  his  race  with 
Ealph  Genther,  after  the  turkey  shoot  at  Wood- 
vale. 

By  his  dodging  and  trickery  he  had  gained 
an  important  start,  but  not  enough  to  put  him 
beyond  sight  of  the  Assiniboines,who  debouched 


86  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

from  the  timber  at  the  moment  the  form  of  the 
Shawanoe  was  fast  dissolving  in  the  gloom. 
They  were  fleet  of  foot,  and  in  the  belief  that 
they  could  speedily  run  the  fugitive  to  earth 
they  made  after  him.  Hardly  had  the  singular 
race  opened  when  the  astounded  pursuers  saw 
no  fugitive  before  them!  He  had  been  swal- 
lowed up  in  the  darkness  like  an  arrow  launched 
from  a  powerful  bow.  The  Assiniboines  must 
have  come  to  the  belief  that  whoever  the 
stranger  was  he  knew  how  to  run.  You  and  I 
came  to  that  belief  long  ago. 

One  of  the  chagrined  pursuers  fired  in  the 
direction  of  the  flying  fugitive.  The  bullet  prob- 
ably passed  within  fifty  feet  of  him,  certainly 
not  near  enough  for  Deerf oot  to  hear  the  whistle 
of  the  missile. 

The  Shawanoe  was  too  wise  to  maintain  his 
flight  in  a  direct  line,  for  there  was  no  saying 
how  long  his  enemies  would  hunt  for  him.  He 
made  a  wide  detour  to  the  right  and  passed 
around  the  head  of  the  lake,  moving  as  silently 
as  a  shadow  and  issuing  no  call  to  Whirlwind 
to  join  him.  Beaching  the  point  he  had  in  mind 
he  stopped,  peered  around  in  the  gloom  and 
carefully  located  himself.  Then  he  placed  his 


COMRADES  TRUE.  87 

thumb  and  forefinger  between  his  teeth  and 
pierced  the  stillness  with  that  peculiar  whistle 
which  could  have  been  heard  a  mile  away. 

Meanwhile,  if  we  can  believe  that  animals 
are  capable  of  reasoning,  Whirlwind  must  have 
had  some  uncomfortable  thoughts.  He  was 
listening  for  the  next  orders  of  his  master  and 
could  make  nothing  of  the  tumult  going  on  near 
him.  He  would  have  been  eager  to  lend  a  help- 
ing hand,  or,  rather,  hoof,  but  did  not  know  how 
to  lend  it.  He  might  make  matters  worse  by  the 
attempt.  He  had  received  his  commands  and 
it  only  remained  for  him  to  obey  them. 

While  thus  waiting,  the  Assiniboine  leader — 
he  who  claimed  him  as  his  particular  property — 
assumed  form  in  the  starlight  and  drew  near. 
Whirlwind  snuffed  suspiciously.  He  could  not 
understand  matters,  but  he  had  seen  his  master 
and  comrade  and  resented  any  impertinence 
from  others. 

The  Assiniboine  hurried  up  and  extended  one 
hand  to  grasp  the  forelock  of  the  stallion,  in 
order  to  lead  him  back  to  his  place  on  the  other 
side  of  the  camp.  At  that  moment  the  signal 
of  Deerf oot  rang  out. 

Perhaps  the  Assiniboine  suspected  the  mean- 


88  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

ing  of  the  call,  for  he  darted  forward  and  seized 
the  forelock.  Whirlwind  instantly  reared,  and 
with  a  single  blow  of  his  hoof  knocked  the  red 
man  senseless.  He  did  not  kill  him,  but  it  is 
safe  to  conclude  that  when  the  Assiniboine 
regained  his  senses  he  knew  a  good  deal  more 
than  he  ever  knew  before. 

The  waiting  Shawanoe  heard  the  sound  of 
hoofs,  and  a  minute  later  saw  the  form  of  the 
stallion  as  he  galloped  up  and  paused  with  his 
nose  thrust  forward,  asking  for  another  caress. 

He  received  it  and  in  his  mute  way  expressed 
his  own  pleasure  at  being  with  his  master  again. 
The  danger  was  not  yet  over,  and  the  Shawanoe 
deferred  further  petting  until  the  opportunity 
was  more  fitting.  Besting  one  hand  upon  the 
neck  of  the  stallion  he  leaped  lightly  astride 
of  him,  still  keeping  the  blanket  about  his  own 
shoulders,  for  the  night  was  keen  and  the  horse 
did  not  need  the  protection. 

.Whirlwind  yearned  to  stretch  his  limbs  and 
speed  away  with  his  master  on  his  back.  But 
it  would  have  been  unsafe.  After  leaving  the 
vicinity  of  the  lake  the  country  was  rough,  and 
in  the  darkness  the  surest-footed  horse  was 
liable  to  fall.  Moreover,  there  was  no  need  of 
baste. 


COMRADES  TRUE.  89 

So  the  stallion  passed  out  into  the  night  at 
his  usual  graceful  walk,  while  his  rider  for  the 
time  listened  and  peered  into  the  darkness 
behind  him  for  sound  or  sight  of  the  Assini- 
boines  who  would  have  given  much  for  a  chance 
to  revenge  themselves  upon  the  daring  youth 
that  had  outwitted  them. 

At  the  end  of  half  an  hour  Deerfoot  slipped 
from  the  back  of  his  steed  and  pressed  his  ear 
to  the  earth.  If  the  Assiniboines  were  following 
and  were  near  he  would  learn  the  fact  through 
this  better  conductor  of  sound.  He  heard  noth- 
ing and  once  more  vaulted  upon  Whirlwind. 

Relieved  for  the  time  of  all  cause  for  fear, 
Deerfoot  now  gave  grateful  attention  to  the 
proud  stallion  that  was  bearing  him  southward. 
He  first  tested  his  recollection  of  the  words  of 
command  which  he  had  taught  him,  and  which 
you  will  remember  were  in  a  peculiar  language 
known  only  to  the  two.  Whirlwind  proved  his 
excellent  memory  by  promptly  responding  to 
every  order  addressed  to  him.  Then  the  Shaw- 
anoe  guided  him  by  pressure  of  his  knees,  and 
by  a  certain  manner  of  striking  the  heels  of  his 
moccasins  against  his  sides.  The  result  could 
not  have  been  more  satisfactory. 


90  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

"Whirlwind  is  a  bad  horse,"  said  Deerfoot, 
feeling  that  it  was  time  to  have  a  little  sport 
with  him.  "He  ran  away  from  Deerfoot  on 
purpose.  If  he  had  had  any  sense  he  would 
have  left  the  Assiniboines  and  set  out  to  find 
Deerfoot  instead  of  making  Deerfoot  travel  so 
far  to  find  him. ' ' 

It  would  be  absurd  to  pretend  that  a  horse, 
even  with  the  rare  intelligence  of  Whirlwind, 
could  grasp  the  meaning  of  these  words.  How- 
ever, he  understood  the  sharp  pinch  which  his 
master  gave  him  on  the  side  of  his  neck,  fol- 
lowed by  a  brisk  slap  with  his  hand.  The  stal- 
lion reached  his  head  around  and  nipped  at  the 
leg  of  Deerfoot,  who  drew  it  back  and  flipped 
the  nose  of  the  animal. 

Then  Whirlwind  flung  his  head  around  his 
other  shoulder  and  snapped  at  the  leg  on  that 
side,  which  was  hardly  snatched  out  of  the  way 
in  time  to  escape.  Deerfoot  gently  smote  the 
nose  to  remind  the  steed  that  with  all  his 
strength  and  wisdom  the  youth  was  still  his 
master.  Thus  they  parried  and  played  and 
plagued  each  other  until  Deerfoot,  with  that 
curious  refinement  of  cruelty  which  we  often 
show  to  those  we  love  most,  pretended  to  be 
offended. 


COMRADES  TRUE.  *> 

"If  Whirlwind  wishes  to  bite  Deerfoot  he 
may  do  so." 

And  to  show  he  meant  what  he  said  he 
reached  forward  and  placed  his  hand  between 
the  lips  of  the  horse.  The  latter  instantly 
opened  his  jaws,  so  as  to  inclose  the  hand  with 
his  teeth.  A  slight  effort  would  have  crushed 
the  fingers  out  of  all  semblance  of  symmetry 
and  beauty.  Whirlwind  did  bring  his  jaws 
nearly  together,  but  took  good  care  that  the 
pressure  was  not  sufficient  to  harm  a  fly. 

Deerfoot 's  heart  smoke  him.  He  could  not 
stand  this  cruelty  to  as  true  a  friend  as  ever 
lived.  Besting  his  rifle  across  his  thighs,  so  as 
to  leave  his  hands  free,  he  leaned  forward,  and, 
inclosing  the  satin  neck  in  his  grasp,  gave  the 
noble  creature  as  fervent  an  embrace  as  wooer 
ever  gave  to  sweetheart. 

"Deerfoot  loves  Whirlwind,  and  his  heart 
would  have  been  sad  all  his  life  if  he  had  not 
found  him.  None  shall  take  him  away  from 
Deerfoot  again.  Deerfoot  knows  that  we  shall 
meet  in  that  land  that  our  Father  is  saving  for 
those  who  do  His  will,  and  then  Deerfoot  and 
Whirlwind  shall  hunt  and  roam  the  forests  and 
prairies  forever/' 


92  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

If  the  meaning  of  the  words  was  vague  to  the 
stallion,  he  could  not  mistake  the  meaning  of  the 
embrace  and  the  reposing  of  the  side  of  the 
Shawanoe's  face  in  the  luxuriant  mane.  He  was 
fully  repaid  for  the  indignities  he  had  suffered 
and  the  grief  that  had  come  to  him  because  of 
the  separation  of  the  two.  Had  Whirlwind  been 
able  to  put  his  ideas  in  words  it  is  conceivable 
that  he  would  have  reproached  the  Shawanoe 
for  deserting  and  leaving  him  among  strangers. 
Had  he  not  done  so,  no  search  with  its  attendant 
dangers  would  have  been  forced  upon  the  youth. 

And  had  this  rebuke  been  given  to  Deerfoot, 
surely  he  would  have  admitted  the  justice  of  the 
charge,  for  we  know  how  he  reproached  himself 
for  his  conduct.  But  we  blame  others  for  ills 
which  we  know  are  caused  by  ourselves,  and  we 
chide  unjustly  those  whom  we  love  most,  know- 
ing all  the  time  how  unjust  we  are,  and  that  if 
we  loved  less  the  reproof  would  not  be  given  at 
all. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

A  MISHAP. 

SO  Deerfoot  the  Shawanoe  rode  into  the 
night,  his  heart  aglow  with  gratitude 
because  of  the  success  of  his  venture. 
Whirlwind  was  his  and  he  felt  no  misgiving 
•over  losing  him  again,  and  the  steed  himself 
would  fight  against  recapture. 

The  animal  kept  to  a  walk,  for  to  go  faster 
would  have  been  imprudent  if  not  dangerous. 
He  was  not  traveling  over  the  course  followed 
by  Deerfoot  in  threading  his  way  to  the  Assini- 
boine  camp.  The  road  was  rough  and  strange 
to  both  horse  and  rider.  All  that  the  youth 
knew  of  a  certainty  was  that  he  was  journeying 
southward.  He  could  tell  that  much  by  observ- 
ing the  stars  that  had  served  him  so  often  as  a 
compass. 

Nor  was  there  any  necessity  for  haste.  It 
was  impossible  for  the  Assiniboines  to  trail  him 
until  the  sun  appeared  in  the  sky,  when  Whirl- 
wind would  easily  leave  the  fleetest  of  their 

93 


94  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

ponies  out  of  sight.  So  no  fear  remained  in  the 
heart  of  the  dusky  youth.  Speaking  now  and 
then  to  the  animal,  patting  his  neck  and 
shoulder,  or  playfully  pinching  the  glossy  skin, 
he  rode  onward  for  several  hours.  He  was  not 
in  need  of  sleep,  and  Whirlwind  had  been  given 
nearly  a  whole  day  of  rest.  It  was  no  task 
therefore  for  either  to  maintain  the  journey. 

Deerfoot 's  intention  was  to  ride  until  mid- 
night, when  the  two  would  rest,  resuming  their 
journey  at  sunrise  and  pushing  hard  until  they 
reached  the  villages  of  the  Blackfeet.  It  was 
late  when  the  stallion  splashed  through  a  small 
brook  at  the  foot  of  a  ridge,  where  Deerfoot 
decided  to  dismount  for  the  remainder  of  the 
night.  Slipping  from  the  back  of  the  horse  he 
pressed  his  ear  to  the  earth,  but  heard  nothing 
to  cause  him  disquiet.  If  the  Assiniboines  were 
hunting  for  him  they  were  too  far  off  to  cause 
concern. 

While  Deerfoot  was  thus  employed,  Whirl- 
wind stood  as  motionless  as  a  statue,  waiting 
for  his  commands.  The  Shawanoe  was  in  the 
act  of  rising  to  his  feet  when  the  steed  emitted 
the  slightest  possible  sniff.  He  was  looking 
toward  the  top  of  the  ridge  immediately  in 


A  MISHAr.  95 

front,  standing  like  a  pointer  dog,  with  his  ears 
pricked  forward  and  head  high  in  air. 

Glancing  in  the  same  direction,  Deerfoot  saw 
the  figure  of  a  buck  that  had  come  up  the  other 
side  of  the  ridge  and  halted  on  the  crest,  as  if 
he  scented  something  amiss.  He  could  not  see 
the  two  below  him,  but  his  own  form  was  thrown 
into  relief  against  the  starlit  sky.  The  beautiful 
creature  with  the  branching  horns,  the  delicate 
ears,  the  shapely  head  and  body,  looked  as  if 
(Stamped  in  ink  in  the  dim  star-gleam. 

Deerfoot  touched  the  shoulder  of  Whirlwind 
as  a  warning  for  him  to  keep  still.  The  intelli- 
gent animal  maintained  his  statue-like  pose, 
and  the  youth  began  stealing  toward  the  buck, 
his  cocked  rifle  grasped  with  both  hands  and 
ready  to  bring  to  a  level  and  fire  on  the  instant. 
The  space  between  the  two  was  fifty  or  sixty 
yards,  which  would  have  been  nothing  by  day- 
light. The  youth  wished  to  decrease  it  as  much 
as  he  could  because  of  the  darkness,  so  as  to  run 
no  risk  of  missing  his  aim. 

It  may  not  sound  poetical,  but  it  is  only 
simple  fact  that  with  the  sight  of  the  buck 
unconscious  of  his  danger  the  dominant  emotion 
of  the  Shawanoe  was  a  sense  of  ravening 


96  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

hunger.  It  was  a  long  time  since  he  had  par- 
taken of  food  and  his  appetite  was  worthy  of 
Victor  Shelton.  He  meant  that  that  buck 
should  fill  the  aching  void  that  vexed  him. 

A  phantom  gliding  over  the  ground  would 
have  given  out  no  more  noise  than  was  made 
by  the  moccasins  of  the  Shawanoe ;  but  the  timid 
animal  snuffed  danger  and  wheeled  to  dash 
away.  At  the  instant  of  doing  so,  Deerf  oot  fired, 
sending  the  ball  into  the  body  just  back  of  a 
fore  leg.  The  cervus  species  rarely  or  never 
fall,  even  when  stricken  through  the  heart, 
knowing  which,  Deerf  oot  dashed  up  the  slope, 
knife  in  hand,  and  made  after  the  wounded  buck, 
which  could  be  heard  threshing  among  the 
stones  and  underbrush.  He  was  still  flounder- 
ing and  running  when  overtaken  by  the  youth, 
who  quickly  ended  his  suffering. 

The  next  act  of  Deerf  oot  was  to  reload  his 
rifle,  after  which  he  cut  a  goodly  piece  from  the 
side  of  the  game  and  carried  it  back  to  where 
Whirlwind  was  waiting.  The  venison  was 
washed  and  dressed,  after  which  the  youth 
groped  about  for  fuel  with  which  to  start  a  fire. 
This  proved  quite  a  task,  but  he  succeeded  after 
a  time,  and  then  made  one  of  the  most  substan- 


A  MISHAP.  97 

tial  meals  he  had  eaten  in  a  long  while.  When 
it  was  completed  hardly  a  fragment  was  left, 
and  he  felt  he  was  provided  for  in  the  way  of 
nourishment  for  a  day  or  two  to  come,  though 
he  saw  no  reason  to  fear  any  such  deprivation 
of  food. 

The  Shawanoe  could  never  forget  his  caution. 
While  there  was  little  probability  of  any  of  the 
Assiniboines  being  in  the  neighborhood,  yet  it 
was  possible  there  were,  and  it  might  be  they 
had  observed  the  twinkle  of  the  fire  he  had 
kindled  and  then  allowed  to  die  out.  He 
remounted  his  horse  and  headed  more  to  the 
westward,  for  he  had  a  long  way  to  travel  to 
reach  the  Blackfoot  country  on  the  other  side 
of  the  Rocky  Mountains. 

The  youth  was  riding  forward,  glancing  to 
the  right  and  left,  on  the  lookout  for  a  suitable 
place  for  camping,  when  he  noticed  that  while 
the  ground  over  which  he  was  passing  was  more 
level  than  usual,  a  high  ridge  loomed  up  on  the 
left,  rising  in  some  places  to  a  height  of  several 
hundred  feet.  After  a  time  a  similar  formation 
appeared  on  the  right.  This  showed  that  he  was 
passing  through  a  valley-like  depression,  but 
he  had  gone  a  comparatively  short  distance 

7 


98  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

when  he  observed  that  the  two  mountain  ranges, 
if  such  they  might  be  considered,  gradually 
converged.  He  turned  to  the  left  and  at  the 
base  of  the  ridge  dismounted. 

' '  Here  we  will  stay  for  the  rest  of  the  night, ' ' 
he  said  to  Whirlwind.  "Deerfoot  feels  that 
hard  work  is  before  us  and  it  is  wise  to  save  our 
strength." 

Since  there  was  no  saddle  or  bridle  to  be 
taken  from  the  stallion,  his  master  turned  him 
loose,  first  kissing  his  nose  and  affectionately 
patting  his  neck.  The  horse  wandered  off  a 
few  steps  to  spend  the  hours  by  himself,  while 
the  youth  laid  his  blanket  on  the  ground  and 
wrapped  himself  in  it.  No  water  was  near,  nor 
was  there  enough  grass  growing  for  Whirlwind 
to  crop,  but  neither  cared  for  a  little  thing  like 
that. 

Deerfoot  slept  soundly  till  roused  by  the  lick- 
ing of  his  cheek  by  his  faithful  friend,  who  was 
standing  at  his  head  and  looking  down  in  his 
face  as  revealed  in  the  dim  morning  light.  The 
night  was  gone  and  it  had  brought  no  alarm  to 
either.  Casting  aside  the  blanket,  Deerfoot 
sprang  to  his  feet  and  surveyed  his  surround- 
ings. 


A  MISHAP.  99 

That  which  first  attracted  his  attention  was 
the  convergence  of  the  massive  walls  to  the 
southeast.  Less  than  half  a  mile  away  they 
came  within  a  hundred  feet  of  each  other,  thus 
forming  one  of  the  canons  that  are  common  in 
mountainous  countries.  The  question  which 
Deerfoot  asked  himself  was  whether  it  was 
probable  the  two  joined.  If  so,  he  was  entering 
a  pocket  from  which  he  would  be  forced  to  with- 
draw. The  middle  of  the  valley  showed  that  at 
certain  times,  perhaps  when  the  snows  melted, 
a  stream  coursed  its  way  through  the  canon, 
but  the  water  came  from  the  front  and  flowed 
toward  the  horseman  into  the  open  country  to 
the  rear.  Had  it  taken  the  opposite  course 
there  would  have  been  no  hesitation  on  his  part, 
for  he  would  have  known  that  an  outlet  was  in 
advance  through  which  Whirlwind  could  pass. 
On  the  other  hand,  it  might  be  that  the  ridges 
united  and  the  torrent  had  its  source  in  the 
water  which  poured  over  the  rocks  at  the  head. 
If  this  proved  to  be  the  fact,  Deerfoot  would  be 
obliged  to  retreat  and  make  a  change  of  course. 

His  belief  was  that  the  ridges  did  not  join 
and  it  was  therefore  prudent  for  him  to  go  on. 
Two  causes  led  him  to  this  conclusion:  the 


tOO  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

ground  was  favorable  for  the  hoofs  of  his  horse, 
and  the  course  of  the  canon  was  the  direction 
he  wished  to  follow.  It  was  a  small  matter  any- 
way, for  an  hour  or  two  loss  of  time  could  make 
no  special  difference.  He  spoke  to  Whirlwind, 
who  stepped  off  with  his  usual  proud  stride. 
Now  that  daylight  had  come  and  the  ground  was 
inviting,  the  steed  of  his  own  accord  broke  into 
an  easy  gallop,  which  his  rider  did  not  check. 

Arriving  at  the  farthest  point  visible  at  the 
moment  of  starting,  Deerf oot  found  that  though 
the  walls  drew  somewhat  closer  they  did  not 
meet  for  at  least  a  half  mile  in  front,  where 
again  a  change  of  course  hid  the  actual  truth. 
He  was  now  following  the  black,  sandy  bed  of 
a  stream,  packed  so  hard  that  it  gave  an  ideal 
floor  for  a  horse's  hoofs. 

The  Shawanoe  had  not  reached  the  turn  in  the 
canon  when  he  made  an  alarming  discovery. 
Looking  to  the  rear  he  discovered  fully  a  dozen 
horsemen  coming  toward  him  on  a  walk.  They 
were  probably  a  half  mile  off,  and  no  doubt  were 
pursuing  him.  He  would  not  have  felt  any  mis- 
giving but  for  the  instant  suspicion  that  these 
Indians  were  Assiniboines  and  the  other  divi- 
sion of  the  party  from  whom  he  had  retaken 


A  MISHAP.  W 

Whirlwind.  They  must  have  recognized  the 
black  stallion,  and,  if  so,  of  course  knew  he  had 
been  captured  by  the  Nez  Perce,  as  they  sup- 
posed him  to  be.  On  no  other  supposition  could 
their  action  be  explained. 

Without  checking  his  steed,  Deerfoot  turned 
and  pointed  his  glass  at  the  red  men.  One 
glance  was  sufficient.  They  were  Assiniboines, 
and  no  doubt  those  for  whom  the  other  group 
were  waiting  in  the  grove  miles  distant. 

Where  they  had  come  from  with  such  sudden- 
ness was  more  than  the  Shawanoe  could  guess. 
It  mattered  naught  since  they  were  there,  and 
his  situation  was  not  only  unpleasant,  but  likely 
to  prove  dangerous.  If  the  canon  closed  he  was 
fairly  caught  and  would  have  to  make  a  des- 
perate fight  to  extricate  himself.  If  it  was  open 
in  front  he  had  little  to  fear. 

He  spoke  to  Whirlwind,  who  instantly 
increased  his  speed.  The  Assiniboines  seemed 
to  make  no  effort  to  lessen  the  distance  between 
themselves  and  the  fugitive.  This  looked  bad, 
for  it  indicated  that  the  Shawanoe  was  riding 
toward  a  shut  door  and  would  fall  into  their 
power  like  ripe  fruit  shaken  from  a  limb. 

When  Deerfoot  reached  the  next  curve  in  the 


102  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

canon  he  perceived  that  only  a  little  way  in 
front  it  curved  again.  He  decided  at  once  to 
settle  the  doubt  in  his  mind,  for,  if  the  canon 
was  a  blind  one,  every  rod  of  advance  added  to 
his  danger.  The  walls  drew  steadily  nearer  and 
he  began  to  fear  that  they  really  met  not  far 
off.  If  obliged  to  turn  back  he  should  do  so 
without  further  delay. 

Checking  Whirlwind  he  slipped  to  the  ground 
and  ran  to  the  side  of  the  ravine.  He  left  his 
blanket  on  the  back  of  the  horse,  and  leaned  his 
rifle  against  the  base  of  the  rocks,  up  which  he 
began  climbing  with  the  nimbleness  of  a  sailor 
ascending  the  rigging  of  a  ship.  His  intention 
was  to  reach  the  level  ground  above,  from 
which  he  could  gain  a  view  that  would  tell  him 
whether  it  was  safe  to  go  any  farther  into  the 
canon  or  whether  he  must  make  instant  retreat. 

From  the  foot  of  the  mountain  wall  to  the 
top  was  fully  forty  feet,  and  it  was  perpendicu- 
lar all  the  way ;  but  the  face  was  so  rugged  that 
he  went  up  without  trouble,  only  turning  a  little 
to  the  right  now  and  then  to  gain  a  better  sup- 
port for  his  hands  and  feet.  The  stallion  stood 
motionless  and  watching  him  with  what  must 
have  been  wondering  interest. 


A  MISHAP.  103 

As  he  ascended  Deerfoot  glanced  down  the 
ravine  and  saw  the  Assiniboines  still  coming 
with  their  horses  on  a  walk.  This  pointed  to 
the  probability  that  the  Shawanoe  had  really 
entered  a  pocket  and  his  enemies  saw  no  need 
of  haste,  since  they  felt  sure  of  their  victim. 
And  yet  with  all  his  acumen  the  Shawanoe  erred 
in  explaining  the  deliberation  of  his  pursuers. 

At  last  the  agile  climber  reached  the  upper 
edge  of  the  ravine,  and  it  only  remained  for  him 
to  lift  himself  a  foot  farther  to  gain  the  view 
which  would  reveal  the  truth  of  the  situation. 
He  extended  his  hand  upward  to  secure  the  grip 
that  was  to  raise  his  head  above  the  level.  As 
he  did  so  he  rested  it  on  something  cold  and 
soft,  which  he  instantly  recognized  as  a  coiled 
rattlesnake. 

Deerfoot  shared  the  shivering  disgust  which 
nearly  every  person  feels  for  crawling  reptiles. 
Nothing  was  so  hideous  to  him  as  the  crotalus, 
and  when  he  caught  sight  of  one  he  rarely 
allowed  it  to  escape.  An  electric  shock  thrilled 
through  him  as  he  snatched  back  his  hand  in 
time  to  avoid  the  sting,  for  the  snake  must  have 
been  as  much  astonished  as  he  by  its  disturb- 
ance. In  the  horror  of  the  contact  the  Shaw- 


i!04  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

anoe  forgot  everything  else  for  the  instant,  and 
letting  go  his  hold,  dropped  to  the  bottom  of  the 
gorge. 

He  realized  his  mishap  the  instant  it  took 
place  and  tried  desperately  to  seize  some 
obstruction  that  would  check  his  descent,  but 
could  not  do  so.  He  struck  the  bottom  of  the 
canon,  landing  on  both  feet,  with  a  twinge  of 
pain  that  was  like  a  dagger  thrust  in  his  ankle. 

But  brief  as  was  Deerfoot's  descent,  he  had 
seen  something  terrifying  while  it  was  going 
on.  The  rattlesnake  so  rudely  disturbed  as  it 
lay  in  coil  (though  it  sometimes  strikes  when 
not  in  that  position),  darted  its  gaping  mouth  at 
the  hand  which  flashed  out  of  its  reach.  Strange 
as  it  may  seem,  it  was  lying  on  the  very  edge 
of  the  gorge,  so  close  indeed  that  the  blow  which 
struck  vacancy  carried  it  over,  and  it  came 
tumbling,  looping  and  writhing  after  Deerf oot, 
at  whose  feet  it  fell,  bruised  and  stunned  by  the 
impact.  Before  it  could  strike  again  he  had 
seized  his  rifle  and  crushed  out  its  life. 

The  excitement  of  the  moment  sustained  him, 
but  with  the  blow  he  sank  to  the  ground  as  if 
shot  through  the  heart.  His  left  ankle  had  been 
severely  wrenched  and  could  not  support  an 


A  MISHAP.  JOS 

ounce  of  his  weight.  The  pain  was  so  intense 
that  but  for  his  iron  will  he  would  have  swooned. 
With  wonderful  pluck  and  self-control  he  care- 
fully raised  himself  and  stood  on  the  right  foot, 
with  the  other  leg  bent  at  the  knee  and  its  foot 
held  clear  of  the  ground.  A  red-hot  needle 
driven  into  and  through  the  ankle  could  not  have 
caused  more  agony. 

But  though  his  face  and  compressed  lips  were 
pale,  not  a  murmur  of  complaint  escaped  him. 
Looking  up  at  his  steed  he  said,  with  his  old, 
winning  smile : 

"Will  Whirlwind  take  care  of  Deerfoot,  for 
lie  cannot  take  care  of  himself  V9 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

ENEMIES  AND  FRIENDS. 

THE  black  stallion  knew  his  master  was  in 
trouble.  Stepping  forward  he  thrust 
forward  his  nose  and  licked  his  fac6. 
Deerfoot  rested  one  arm  on  his  mane,  the  other 
hand  holding  his  rifle.  Then  Whirlwind,  with- 
out a  word,  kneeled  on  one  knee,  so  as  to  lower 
his  shoulders.  With  a  single  hop  the  young 
Shawanoe  leaped  upon  his  back  and  the  steed 
immediately  stood  on  all-fours. 

"Now,  my  friend,  show  them  what  you  can 
do  in  the  way  of  running. ' ' 

The  incident  had  taken  only  a  few  moments, 
but  brief  as  was  the  time  it  had  allowed  the 
Assiniboines  to  decrease  the  space  between 
them  and  the  Shawanoe.  Singular  as  it  seemed, 
they  still  failed  to  hurry.  They  held  their 
horses  at  a  walk,  and  Deerfoot  for  the  first  time 
began  to  suspect  the  truth. 

Whirlwind  was  off  with  the  speed  of  the  wind. 
His  motion  gave  pain  to  the  rider,  but  it  was 

106 


ENEMIES  AND  FRIENDS.  J07 

less  than  when  he  stood  with  one  foot  on  the 
ground.  So  long  as  he  had  the  steed  under  him 
he  felt  little  cause  for  fear. 

The  theory  which  had  suddenly  assumed 
shape  in  the  mind  of  Deerfoot  was  that  the  pur- 
suers wished  to  hold  him  in  the  ravine  while 
another  party  passed  around  to  the  other 
entrance.  He  would  thus  be  placed  hetween 
two  fires  and  his  position  made  tenfold  more 
perilous  than  ever.  It  may  be  said  that  if  this 
trick  succeeded  the  doom  of  both  Deerfoot  and 
Whirlwind  would  be  sealed. 

And  it  was  precisely  the  stratagem  which  the 
Assiniboines  had  attempted. 

It  will  now  be  understood  why  the  Shawanoe 
sent  his  steed  flying  up  the  gorge  at  such  a 
tremendous  burst  of  speed  that  he  rapidly  drew 
away  from  the  group  behind  him.  He  meant 
to  get  out  of  the  ravine  before  he  was  shut  off 
in  front.  No  doubt  longer  remained  that  it  was 
open  at  no  great  distance  in  advance. 

The  space  was  less  than  a  third  of  a  mile  after 
making  the  last  turn.  Deerfoot  would  have 
been  glad  had  it  been  greater,  for  that  much 
more  opportunity  would  be  given  for  the  use  of 
the  stallion's  fleetness. 


108  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS 

The  Shawanoe  descried  the  open  door.  The 
walls  fell  away,  leaving  an  interval  of  a  hundred 
yards  between,  the  bottom  of  the  ravine  slightly 
ascended,  the  ridges  gradually  dropped  to  the 
level  of  the  earth,  and  the  country  was  spread 
out  as  before  he  rode  into  the  canon  the  night 
previous. 

From  the  back  of  the  flying  steed  Deerfoot 
kept  his  eye  on  the  space,  expecting  every 
moment  to  see  the  other  Assiniboines  dash  into 
view  and  sweep  down  upon  him.  He  had  fixed 
his  line  of  action.  He  would  charge  straight  at 
them,  even  if  they  numbered  a  dozen,  using  first 
his  rifle  and  then  his  knife,  should  a  chance 
present  itself  to  bring  the  latter  into  play. 

With  every  bound  of  Whirlwind  the  hopes  of 
his  rider  rose.  It  looked  as  if  the  race  had  been 
won  by  the  superb  stallion.  A  few  more  strides 
and  all  his  enemies  would  be  thrown  to  the  rear. 

The  next  moment  Whirlwind  burst  out  of  the 
ravine  into  the  open  country,  and  in  the  same 
instant  came  face  to  face  with  another  horse- 
man. He  was  the  Assiniboine  chieftain,  who 
alone  had  ridden  hard  along  the  side  of  the 
canon  on  the  ground  above,  in  order  to  head  off 
the  flying  fugitive,  and  had  arrived  just  in  time 


ENEMIES  AND  FRIENDS.  J09 

to  do  so.  He  scorned  to  take  any  companion 
with  him,  for  he  feared  no  living  man  and  was 
sure  of  overcoming  the  audacious  stranger  that 
had  roused  his  fury. 

The  Assiniboine  must  have  heard  the  thunder 
of  the  approaching  hoofs,  for  he  had  checked 
his  own  horse,  on  which  he  sat  awaiting  the 
appearance  of  the  Shawanoe.  When  the  latter 
caught  sight  of  his  face  he  had  his  rifle  at  his 
shoulder  and  was  in  the  act  of  pressing  the 
trigger. 

Deerfoot  saw  he  had  no  time  to  use  his  own 
weapon,  for  quickly  as  he  might  aim  it  the  other 
would  be  discharged  first.  In  the  language  of 
the  modern  West,  the  Assiniboine  "had  the 
drop"  on  the  Shawanoe. 

There  was  but  one  thing  to  do,  and  Deerfoot 
did  it  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye.  He  flung  his 
body  to  the  other  side  of  his  steed,  sustaining 
himself  by  bending  his  toes  over  the  base  of  the 
stallion's  neck.  When  I  add  that  the  foot  with 
which  he  performed  this  remarkable  bit  of 
horsemanship  was  the  one  with  the  sprained 
ankle,  you  may  faintly  imagine  the  wrenching 
torture  he  suffered.  Only  by  a  superhuman 
effort  did  he  keep  control  of  his  senses. 


X10  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

The  Assiniboine  fired  at  the  moment  of  the 
lightning-like  shift  of  position,  and  Deerfoot 
heard  the  zip  of  the  bullet  as  it  sped  across  the 
space  covered  less  than  a  second  before  by  his 
body. 

There  is  a  lurking  devil  in  the  most  saintly 
disposition,  and  that  which  slumbered  in  the 
breast  of  the  young  Shawanoe  now  flamed  to  a 
white  heat.  Swinging  back  to  the  upright 
posture  he  called : 

1 1  Now,  Whirlwind,  run  him  down ! ' ' 

The  stallion  felt  the  pressure  of  the  knees, 
understood  the  command,  and  ablaze  with  rage, 
charged  like  a  cyclone  for  the  other  horse.  In 
a  flash  he  crashed  into  the  animal,  hurling  him 
sidelong  to  the  earth  and  rolling  him  completely 
over  from  the  terrific  force  of  the  impact. 

But  his  rider  was  a  fine  horseman  and  leaped 
to  the  ground  before  the  collision.  Whirling 
about  he  faced  the  Shawanoe,  with  knife  drawn, 
for  there  was  no  time  to  reload  his  gun. 

He  was  now  at  the  mercy  of  Deerfoot,  whose 
weapon  was  loaded.  But  for  the  disabled  limb 
he  would  have  leaped  to  the  earth  and  assailed 
the  other.  He  would  have  done  the  same  had 
there  been  two  enemies  before  him;  he  would 


ENEMIES  AND  FRIENDS.  m 

have  done  the  same  had  there  been  three;  but 
he  was  not  the  fool  to  engage  in  a  fight  when  he 
had  but  a  single  leg  to  stand  upon. 

The  panic-stricken  horse,  having  clambered 
to  his  feet,  dashed  away.  Whirlwind  assumed 
his  statue-like  pose  and  Deerf oot  brought  his 
rifle  to  a  level,  with  the  Assiniboine  staring  into 
the  muzzle. 

The  fight  had  been  of  the  cyclone  order,  but, 
brief  as  it  was,  Deerfoot  had  become  himself 
again.  He  was  the  Christian  who  could  not 
shed  the  blood  of  one  that  was  unable  to  defend 
himself,  even  though  that  one  was  his  deadly 
enemy. 

The  Assiniboine  had  dropped  his  gun  when 
assuming  his  position  at  bay,  and  it  lay  several 
feet  away  on  the  ground.  Lowering  his  own 
weapon,  Deerfoot  pointed  after  the  fleeing  horse 
and  said  sternly  in  the  tongue  of  the  Blackf eet : 

"Bun!  run  after  the  horse!" 

The  gesture,  as  much  as  the  words,  explained 
the  command.  It  was  so  unparalleled,  so  utterly 
unexpected,  that  the  Assiniboine  stood  in  a 
daze.  Deerfoot  knew  that  the  report  of  the 
gun  would  speedily  bring  the  warriors  to  the 
spot,  and  there  was  not  a  minute  to  spare.  He 


U2  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

repeated  his  order  more  sharply  than  before 
and  accompanied  it  with  a  threatening  lifting  of 
his  gun  to  a  level. 

The  other  could  not  misunderstand  the  sig- 
nificance of  voice  and  gesture.  He  stepped  for- 
ward to  pick  up  his  rifle. 

"Stop!"  shouted  the  Shawanoe,  before  the 
other  could  stoop.  " Leave  it  where  it  is!  Fol- 
low the  horse. " 

The  hammer  of  the  leveled  rifle  was  at  full 
cock.  Still  unable  fully  to  comprehend  all  that 
had  taken  place,  the  chieftain  faced  about  and 
broke  into  a  lope  after  his  horse,  which  acted  as 
if  it  would  keep  up  its  pace  for  the  remainder 
of  the  day. 

Deerf  oot  waited  till  the  chief  had  gone  a  hun- 
dred paces,  when  heading  the  other  way  he  gave 
the  word  to  Whirlwind,  whom,  however,  he  held 
down  to  a  walk.  The  rider  wished  to  witness 
developments. 

Looking  back  he  saw  the  Assiniboine  motion- 
less and  gazing  after  him  with  emotions  that 
can  hardly  be  imagined  or  described.  He  stood 
thus  for  a  minute,  when  he  started  on  a  run  to 
recover  his  rifle  from  where  it  lay  on  the  ground. 
Just  before  reaching  the  spot  the  party  of 


ENEMIES  AND  FRIENDS.  JJ3 

horsemen  emerged  from  the  mouth  of  the  canon 
and  pansed  while  their  leader  rejoined  them. 

It  would  be  interesting  to  know  how  he 
squared  matters  with  his  warriors.  It  would 
have  required  a  vivid  imagination  and  a  genius 
in  the  way  of  invention  to  explain  how  it  was 
his  horse  was  just  vanishing  in  the  distance; 
how  the  chief  was  in  the  act  of  recovering  his 
weapon,  and  more  than  all,  how  it  came  about 
that  the  youthful  warrior  of  a  strange  tribe, 
who  had  already  slain  one  Assiniboine — though 
that  was  yet  unknown  to  this  party — was  riding 
leisurely  off  on  the  back  of  the  special  pet  of 
the  chieftain.  If  the  Assiniboine  was  wise  he 
made  a  clean  breast  of  it,  and  insisted  that  the 
dusky  stranger  was  a  marvel  in  his  way  whom 
it  was  exceedingly  unwise  to  push  into  a  corner. 

The  chagrin  of  the  Assiniboine  party  was  not 
soothed  by  the  action  of  Deerfoot,  who,  having 
spared  the  life  of  an  enemy,  felt  himself  justi- 
fied in  "rubbing  it  in,"  so  to  speak.  He  faced 
Whirlwind  toward  the  group,  held  him  motion- 
less, and,  swinging  his  rifle  over  his  head, 
indulged  in  a  series  of  tantalizing  shouts  that 
were  anything  but  soothing  to  the  chief  and  his 
friends.  How  they  ached  to  get  the  terrible 


m  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

young  warrior  into  their  power !  What  exquisite 
vengeance  they  would  have  wreaked  upon  him ! 

But  such  bliss  was  impossible.  They  knew 
what  speed  the  black  stallion  possessed,  and  it 
was  not  suppo sable  that  his  rider  meant  to  chaL 
lenge  all  of  them  to  combat.  So  they  main* 
tained  a  glum  silence  as  he  rode  from  view. 

Meanwhile,  Deerfoot  found  he  must  give 
attention  to  the  ankle,  whose  condition  had  been 
aggravated  by  the  fight  with  the  Assiniboine 
leader.  It  was  much  swollen  and  the  pain  was 
torturing.  Still  his  bravery  and  self-command 
prevented  anything  in  the  nature  of  murmuring. 
In  truth,  he  would  have  suffered  death  without 
outcry. 

The  remarkable  youth  found  a  strange  con- 
solation. He  was  familiar  with  the  story  of  the 
Saviour's  death  on  the  cross  and  remembered 
the  nails  that  were  driven  through  the  hands 
and  feet. 

"He  suffered  from  four  wounds,  besides  hav- 
ing a  spear  thrust  into  his  side.  Deerfoot  has 
only  one  hurt  in  his  foot  and  that  does  not  bleed. 
He  had  the  weight  of  the  world's  guilt  crushing 
his  heart.  What  are  Deerfoot 's  sufferings  com- 
pared with  His?  It  is  my  Father's  will  and 
therefore  the  heart  of  Deerfoot  is  glad." 


ENEMIES  AND  FRIENDS.  U5 

Failing  to  see  a  sign  of  strangers  in  the 
neighborhood,  the  Shawanoe  drew  Whirlwind 
down  to  a  walk  and  halted  at  the  first  mountain 
stream,  which  happened  to  be  no  larger  than 
the  one  where  he  had  broiled  his  supper  the 
night  before. 

The  moment  Whirlwind  saw  that  his  master 
wished  to  dismount  he  sank  upon  both  knees. 
His  sympathetic  act  touched  Deerfoot,  who, 
stepping  carefully  upon  the  well  limb,  patted 
the  neck  of  the  steed  and  thanked  him. 

"Deerfoot  would  be  helpless  but  for  Whirl- 
wind. They  must  now  stick  together  as  never 
before." 

Hopping  to  the  brook  the  youth  slipped  off 
his  moccasin  and  removed  the  stocking.  The 
swollen  ankle  was  as  sensitive  as  a  boil.  Dip- 
ping the  stocking  in  the  icy  water  he  rang  it 
almost  dry  and  rubbed  the  limb,  gently  at  first 
and  then  more  vigorously  until  it  was  in  a  glow. 
This  was  soothing  and  gave  partial  relief,  but 
much  pain  remained.  An  injury  of  that  nature 
takes  a  long  time  to  subside. 

Having  never  suffered  from  illness  or  wounds, 
the  Shawanoe  was  without  any  remedy  at  com- 
mand, nor  did  he  know  aught  of  the  many  medi- 


H6  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

laments  which  his  race,  as  well  as  the  white 
people,  use.  Had  the  hurt  been  a  simple  cut 
or  wound  he  would  have  given  it  no  heed,  but 
his  sprain  forced  itself  upon  his  notice. 

He  finished  rubbing  the  ankle  and  carefully 
drew  on  the  stocking,  with  Whirlwind  sympa- 
thetically watching  him,  and  doubtless  longing 
for  some  method  of  giving  relief.  I  wonder 
whether  the  creature  recalled  that  day,  many 
weeks  before,  when  his  young  master  rubbed  his 
injured  knee  so  tenderly  and  ministered  to  him 
until  he  had  fully  recovered.  We  cannot  fathom 
the  mysteries  of  the  brain  in  animals  of  a  high 
order  of  intelligence,  and  it  is  not  for  us  to 
deny  that  such  might  have  been  the  fact. 

Suddenly  the  stallion  turned  toward  a  pile 
of  rocks  to  the  left  and  emitted  his  faint,  warn- 
ing neigh.  Deerfoot  was  up  in  a  twinkling, 
despite  the  additional  suffering  caused  by  his 
action,  and  seized  his  rifle  resting  near.  As  he 
did  so  an  Indian  appeared  from  behind  the 
rocks  and  came  toward  him.  A  glance  showed 
him  to  be  the  dwarf  with  whom  Deerfoot  had 
had  his  singular  meeting  when  journeying 
northward. 

The  red  man  of  short  stature  took  long  wab- 


ENEMIES  AND  FRIENDS.  U7 

bling  strides,  made  numerous  gestures  and 
grimaces  and  rapidly  uttered  words,  not  one  of 
which  was  understood  by  the  Shawanoe.  Still 
chattering,  gesticulating  and  grinning  he  came 
forward,  without  heeding  the  black  steed,  flung 
his  long  bow  to  the  ground,  and  kneeling  down, 
gently  lifted  the  foot  of  Deerfoot,  who  had  not 
yet  drawn  on  his  moccasin.  The  visitor  saw 
that  the  limb  was  injured  and  tenderly  rested 
the  foot  upon  his  knee,  the  owner  thereof  making 
no  objection,  gently  turned  down  the  stocking 
and  spent  a  minute  or  two  in  inspecting  the 
swollen  ankle.  Then  with  a  sympathetic  aspira- 
tion he  slowly  stroked  it  with  his  hand.  In 
doing  so  he  drew  downward  each  time  and  never 
rubbed  the  surface  upward. 

There  is  something  in  magnetism,  and  Deer- 
foot  was  sure  of  a  slight  cessation  of  the  pain, 
though  the  relief  was  not  marked.  When  the 
caressing  had  been  repeated  a  number  of  times, 
the  dwarf  softly  laid  the  foot  on  the  ground 
and  rose  to  his  feet.  Another  vigorous  dis- 
charge of  unintelligible  words  followed,  and  he 
wabbled  rapidly  off  beyond  the  rocks  from 
behind  which  he  had  come  a  short  time  before. 

Since  he  left  his  bow  lying  on  the  ground 


U8  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

where  he  had  flung  it,  Deerfoot  knew  he  had 
gone  in  quest  of  some  remedy  and  would  soon 
return.  He  therefore  kept  his  seat  on  the 
ground  and  patiently  awaited  the  other's 
coming. 

In  a  few  minutes  the  dwarf  reappeared,  bear- 
ing in  his  hand  a  bunch  of  green  leaves.  The 
twigs  were  pinnated,  and  at  the  base  of  each 
leaflet,  where  it  joined  the  common  peticle,  was 
a  single  crimson  berry,  resembling  the  common 
wintergreen,  but  the  genus  was  unknown  to  the 
Shawanoe,  though  he  knew  something  of 
medicinal  herbs. 

Dividing  the  twigs  with  their  leaves  and  ber- 
ries into  halves,  the  good  Samaritan  laid  one 
pile  on  the  ground,  pointing  to  it,  and  still  chat- 
tering. Deerfoot  knew  he  wished  to  direct  his 
attention  to  the  healing  plant,  and  he  nodded 
his  head  to  signify  he  understood  and  would 
remember  his  request. 

Then,  as  deftly  as  a  girl,  the  dusky  friend 
picked  the  berries  from  the  twigs  in  the  other 
bunch.  They  filled  the  palm  of  one  hand,  which 
he  held  out  for  Deerfoot  to  inspect.  The  Shaw- 
anoe nodded  again.  The  other  wabbled  back  to 
the  rocks,  but  did  not  pass  out  of  sight.  Picking 


ENEMIES  AND  FRIENDS.  U9 

up  a  bit  of  stone,  he  began  crushing  the  berries 
upon  a  projection  of  the  rocks.  It  took  but  a 
brief  time  to  turn  them  into  a  yellow,  sticky 
mass  which  emitted  a  slightly  aromatic  odor. 
Beturning  to  the  patient,  he  skillfully  spread 
the  poultice  on  several  of  the  larger  leaves,  laid 
them  over  and  around  the  swollen  ankle,  and 
then,  as  gently  as  a  mother  with  her  babe,  drew 
the  stocking  over  it,  so  as  to  hold  the  poultice  in 
place. 

Deerf  oot  leaned  back,  resting  his  body  on  his 
elbows,  and  heaved  a  long,  grateful  sigh.  The 
relief  was  bliss  itself.  For  a.  minute  or  two 
he  believed  the  injury  was  fully  healed,  but  a 
slight  movement  of  the  foot  proved  that  this 
was  not  the  fact.  Nevertheless,  the  effect  of 
the  crushed  berries  was  magical.  As  he  looked 
up  in  the  homely,  twisted  countenance,  his 
expression  spoke  his  gratitude.  The  dwarf 
grinned.  The  language  of  thankfulness  needs  no 
interpreter.  Deerfoot  came  to  the  upright  pos- 
ture, and,  reaching  forward,  took  one  of  the 
stranger's  hands  in  his  own  and  patted  it,  mur- 
muring his  thanks. 

The  dwarf  pointed  to  the  twigs  and  berries 
remaining  untouched  and  said  something,  which 


J20  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

was  made  clear  by  the  rapid  flitting  of  his  fore- 
finger from  them  to  the  wounded  member.  The 
meaning  was  plain.  The  patient  was  to  use 
them  as  the  others  had  been  used.  Deerfoot 
signified  in  his  usual  way  that  he  understood 
the  direction. 

The  dwarf  stood  for  a  few  minutes  silent,  with 
his  eyes  on  the  face  of  the  Shawanoe  seated 
before  him.  Then  he  spoke  again,  and  Deerfoot 
would  have  given  much  to  have  understood  the 
words,  but  he  could  not  form  the  remotest  idea 
of  their  meaning.  The  visitor  stopped  and 
picked  up  his  bow  from  the  ground,  turned  and 
swung  with  his  awkward  gait  up  the  slight 
slope,  passed  from  sight  behind  the  pile  of  rocks, 
and  the  Shawanoe  never  saw  or  heard  of  him 
again. 


CHAPTER  IX. 
IN  THE  ROCKIES. 

THEEE  was  wonderful  virtue  in  the 
remedy  used  by  the  dwarf  Indian.  You 
and  I  know  that  in  many  a  mountaineer's 
cabin  and  barbarian's  wigwam  are  found  cura- 
tives which  surpass  anything  known  to  what  we 
call  medical  science.  The  proofs  of  this  fact  are 
too  numerous  to  be  questioned. 

As  Deerfoot  rode  away  with  Whirlwind  on  a 
walk,  he  knew  his  hurt  had  been  greatly  bene- 
fited. With  his  foot  hanging,  the  flow  of  blood 
downward  tended  to  increase  the  pain,  but  there 
was  not  only  less  of  it  than  at  any  time  since  his 
mishap,  but  it  was  perceptibly  decreasing.  The 
swelling  was  going  down,  for  the  stocking  was 
becoming  looser.  He  timidly  tapped  the  ribs  of 
the  stallion  with  his  heel  and  was  delighted  to 
find  it  caused  less  of  a  twinge  than  he  expected. 

At  the  first  water  he  paused,  but  would  not 
allow  Whirlwind  to  kneel  to  help  him  dismount. 
He  let  himself  down  rather  gingerly  and  did 

121 


J22  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

not  suffer  therefrom.  At  the  side  of  the  little 
stream  he  examined  his  injury.  The  swelling 
was  markedly  less  and  he  was  able  to  press  it 
without  wincing.  He  had  brought  away  the 
surplus  berries,  but,  instead  of  using  them, 
moistened  the  old  binding  and  replaced  it.  It 
might  be  that  he  would  not  be  able  to  find  more 
of  the  remedy,  and  it  was  prudent  to  husband 
the  supply.  Observant  as  he  was,  he  did  not 
recall  ever  having  seen  the  shrub  growing,  and 
was  certain  it  was  not  found  in  Ohio  or 
Kentucky. 

One  potent  factor  in  the  rapid  recovery  of  the 
Shawanoe  must  not  be  overlooked;  that  was 
his  own  superb  health  and  condition.  You  need 
not  be  reminded  that  when  anything  goes  amiss 
with  us  physically,  nature  sets  to  work  at  once 
to  right  it,  and  the  most  that  medical  skill  can 
do  is  to  sit  by  and  watch  for  contingencies  and 
give  assistance  as  opportunity  offers,  which  is 
less  frequent  than  many  think.  A  system  that 
has  not  been  weakened  by  dissipation  or  the 
violation  of  the  laws  of  health  will  do  wonders 
in  the  way  of  repairing  disease  or  injury. 

It  was  not  yet  noon  when  Deerf  oot  became  so 
hopeful  and  curious  that  he  suddenly  slipped 


IN  THE  ROCKIES.  J23 

from  the  back  of  his  horse  without  checking  his 
walk.  Whirlwind  must  have  been  startled,  for 
he  instantly  stopped  and  turned  his  head  to 
learn  what  it  meant. 

" Don't  worry,"  said  his  master  with  his 
familiar  chuckle.  "Deerfoot  is  almost  well  and 
will  soon  be  himself  again. ' ' 

He  ventured  to  bear  a  part  of  his  weight  on 
the  weak  leg.  It  caused  a  twinge,  and  he 
instantly  shifted  to  the  other  foot,  but  with  the 
transference  of  weight  the  pain  departed,  which 
was  one  of  the  best  of  signs. 

The  days  of  miracles  passed  long  ago,  and 
with  all  the  virtues  that  may  linger  in  the  Thom- 
sonian  system  of  medicine,  no  possibility  existed 
of  the  Shawanoe  regaining  the  full  use  of  his 
limb  for  several  days  to  come.  None  the  less, 
his  recovery  was  astonishingly  rapid,  for,  as  I 
have  said,  his  perfect  vigor  and  healthfulness 
of  body  greatly  aided  in  such  recovery.  Added 
to  this  was  the  intelligence  he  used.  While  he 
frequently  tested  and  experimented  with  the 
injury,  he  did  not  venture  too  far.  Now  and 
then  he  carefully  shifted  a  part  of  his  weight 
to  his  left  limb,  then  he  hobbled  a  few  steps,  but 
stopped  immediately  at  the  first  warning  twinge. 


124  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

It  may  be  said  he  encouraged  the  ankle  to  do  its 
best  to  get  well. 

It  was  a  little  past  meridian  when  he  reached 
a  place  which  showed  a  considerable  growth  of 
grass,  and  letting  himself  down  to  the  ground, 
he  told  Whirlwind  to  attend  to  his  own  dinner. 
As  for  himself,  he  preferred  to  wait  until  night- 
fall, or  the  next  day.  At  present  all  his  atten- 
tion was  given  to  his  hurt. 

He  decided,  after  inspecting  the  bandage,  to 
replace  it  with  a  new  one.  He  therefore  flung 
the  old  one  aside  and  mashed  the  berries  and 
applied  them  as  the  dwarf  had  done.  But  the 
injured  limb  had  so  decreased  in  size  that  the 
stocking  failed  to  hold  it  in  place.  The  motion 
of  the  horse  caused  the  bandage  to  slip  over  the 
foot.  This  was  remedied  by  taking  some  of 
the  threads  of  fringe  from  the  skirt  of  his  hunt- 
ing shirt  and  tying  them  round  the  poultice.  He 
expected  the  increased  pressure  to  hurt,  but  to 
his  pleased  surprise  the  opposite  effect  resulted. 

It  had  been  in  his  mind  to  construct  a  crude 
crutch  to  aid  in  hobbling  around,  but  he  decided 
not  to  do  so.  If  his  recovery  continued  without 
relapse  he  could  do  well  enough  without  such 
aid. 


IN  THE  ROCKIES.  J25 

On  the  journey  from  the  Ohio  to  the  Pacific, 
as  well  as  during  their  intimacy  in  the  new 
State,  Deerfoot  and  Mul-tal-la  had  talked  so 
much  about  the  home  of  the  latter  that  the 
Shawanoe  felt  himself  well  informed.  A  hun- 
dred years  ago  that  tribe  numbered  several 
thousand,  and  they  lived  in  villages,  some  of 
which  were  long  distances  from  one  another. 
The  country  over  which  they  roamed  covered 
thousands  of  square  miles  of  mountain,  prairie 
and  stream.  Mul-tal-la  described  his  own  vil- 
lage as  consisting  of  more  than  a  hundred 
lodges,  located  near  the  middle  of  the  Blackfoot 
territory.  The  tepees  were  strung  along  the 
eastern  bank  of  a  stream  of  considerable  size, 
and  was  the  dwelling-place  of  Taggarak,  the 
most  famous  of  the  Blackfoot  war  chiefs  and 
the  head  of  the  other  sachems,  most  of  whom 
lived  in  different  villages.  Deerfoot  had  formed 
so  clear  a  picture  in  his  own  mind  that  he 
believed  he  could  identify  the  Indian  town  at 
first  sight,  though  it  might  be  its  resemblance 
to  others  would  prevent  such  recognition. 

The  Blackfoot  country  lies  to  the  east  of  the 
Eocky  Mountains,  while  he  was  on  the  west  of 
the  stupendous  range.  It  was  necessary,  there- 


J26  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

fore,  to  make  his  way  through  and  over  the 
backbone  of  the  continent,  in  order  to  rejoin  his 
friends.  Inasmuch  as  the  land  of  the  Assini- 
boines  was  not  only  farther  east,  but  many 
leagues  to  the  northward,  it  will  be  understood 
that  the  party  that  had  tried  to  run  off  Whirl- 
wind had  ventured  on  a  most  extensive  raid, 
which  brought  them  no  reward  except  that  of 
having  slain  several  of  Chief  Amokeat's  Nez 
Perces. 

A  requirement  for  getting  through  the  moun- 
tains was  an  avenue,  since  the  passage  could  be 
effected  in  no  other  way  except  by  flying,  and 
Deerfoot  was  not  yet  ready  to  try  that  means. 

Using  all  the  woodcraft  of  which  he  was 
master,  he  spent  the  remainder  of  the  day  in 
searching  for  such  a  pass.  He  scanned  every 
part  of  his  field  of  vision,  but  the  day  was  draw- 
ing to  a  close  before  anything  like  success  came 
to  him.  He  had  learned  that  the  warriors  to  the 
east  and  west  of  the  Rockies  made  journeys  now 
and  then  back  and  forth.  Sometimes  these  were 
raiding  expeditions,  at  other  times  were  merely 
rambles  or  visits,  when  the  red  men  proved 
themselves  capable  of  hospitality  and  friend- 
ship. 


IN  THE  ROCKIES.  127 

These  people  must  be  acquainted  with  the 
readiest  means  of  travel,  and  wherever  they 
walked  or  rode  they  left  inevitable  signs  to 
guide  others.  The  sun  was  still  two  hours  above 
the  horizon  when  Deerf  oot  came  upon  a  plainly 
marked  trail,  leading  almost  due  east  and  west, 
Without  hesitation  he  turned  into  it.  Instead  of 
being  a  comparatively  narrow  passage,  how- 
ever, like  that  traversed  by  Mul-tal-la  and 
George  and  Victor  Shelton  when  they  thought 
they  were  embroiled  with  the  Shoshones,  it  was 
two  or  three  miles  wide,  and  even  wider  in  some 
places.  The  ground  was  so  depressed  that  it 
partook  of  the  nature  of  a  valley,  through  the 
middle  of  which  a  considerable  stream  of  water 
had  flowed,  fed  no  doubt,  as  was  the  rule,  by 
the  melting  snows  and  ice  of  the  mountains. 

The  surface  of  this  pass  varied  greatly. 
There  were  portions  where  boulders,  rocks  and 
ravines  seemed  to  bar  all  progress,  but  these 
obstructions,  upon  a  closer  approach,  revealed 
passages  which  could  be  easily  traversed  by 
horse  or  animal.  Then  came  long  stretches  of 
fairly  level  land,  where  grass,  trees  and  shrub- 
bery were  abundant.  The  mountains  towered 
on  the  right  and  left,  and  now  and  then  directly 


J28  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

in  front,  some  of  the  peaks  piercing  the  sky  far 
above  the  snow  line. 

Deerfoot  would  not  have  dared  to  attempt 
this  passage  but  for  the  proofs  that  it  had  been 
traversed  before  by  others.  In  fact,  shortly 
after  he  made  the  change  of  direction  he  came 
upon  a  spot  where  a  large  party  had  encamped 
not  long  previous.  It  was  too  early  in  the  day 
to  halt  for  the  night,  and  he  allowed  the  stallion 
to  pass  on. 

An  hour  later,  when  casting  about  for  a  suit- 
able camping  site,  he  descried  an  Indian  party 
not  far  in  advance,  but  a  fourth  of  a  mile  to  the 
left.  While  they  were  using  the  same  pass  with 
himself,  they  were  traversing  another  portion 
and  pursuing  the  same  direction  as  he. 

Not  convinced  that  it  was  well  to  seek  their 
company,  the  Shawanoe  brought  his  glass  to 
bear  and  surveyed  the  motley  group  that  were 
straggling  eastward.  The  sight  was  interesting 
even  to  him,  for  the  Indians  were  composed  of 
warriors,  squaws,  children  and  pappooses,  evi- 
dently migrating  to  a  new  home.  They  had 
eight  or  ten  scraggly  ponies,  each  walking 
between  two  poles  that  served  as  shafts  and 
extended  so  far  to  the  rear  that  they  dragged 


IN  THE  ROCKIES*  129 

on  the  ground.  Thus  they  served  as  runners  or 
crude  sleds.  Held  in  place  by  thongs  and  cross- 
pieces,  the  primitive  wagon  gave  a  resting  place 
for  tired  squaws  and  children,  their  lazy  hus- 
bands, or  the  furs  and  luggage  of  the  party. 
The  primitive  contrivances  left  a  peculiar  trail. 

The  Indians  numbered  perhaps  fifty  or  three 
score,  and  had  nothing  attractive  in  their 
slouching,  untidy  appearance,  which  suggested 
so  many  dusky  tramps  on  their  way  to  quarters 
that  offered  a  better  opportunity  for  begging. 
Deerfoot  had  no  wish  to  gain  a  closer  acquaint- 
ance and  kept  well  to  the  south,  so  as  to  be  sure 
of  passing  without  mingling  with  the  company. 
As  the  ground  was  favorable  he  put  Whirlwind 
at  a  moderate  gallop. 

The  dusky  strangers  showed  their  keenness 
of  vision  by  observing  the  stranger  almost  as 
soon  as  he  descried  them.  He  saw  several  of  the 
warriors  who  were  on  foot  point  toward  him. 
They  seemed  to  expect  Deerfoot  to  come  for- 
ward, but,  when  he  did  not  do  so,  showed  no 
further  interest  in  him. 

The  wish  to  keep  clear  of  the  uninviting 
throng  caused  the  youth  to  ride  on  until  the 
gathering  gloom  told  him  night  was  at  hand. 


130  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

He  then  saw  he  had  come  to  another  place  that 
had  served  as  a  camp  for  those  who  had  traveled 
the  way  before  him.  There  were  the  little 
stream  of  icy  water,  the  rank  grass,  the  scat- 
tered undergrowth  and  the  houlders  and  rocks 
of  every  size  and  variety. 

The  air  was  so  chilly  that  Deerfoot  began 
gathering  wood  for  a  fire,  though  he  had  noth- 
ing in  the  nature  of  food  for  an  evening  meal. 
I  have  shown,  however,  that  that  was  a  matter 
of  small  account  to  him.  There  was  more  than 
enough  for  Whirlwind,  who,  leaving  his  master 
to  himself,  began  edging  up  the  pass,  cropping 
the  choicest  grass  on  the  way.  The  Shawanoe 
had  to  grope  in  many  places  before  he  collected 
enough  fuel.  He  heaped  a  part  against  the  cold 
bare  face  of  the  rock,  several  paces  from  the 
winding  brook,  whose  waters  were  not  only 
clear,  but  of  the  temperature  of  ice  itself. 

With  his  usual  deftness,  Deerfoot  soon  had 
the  fire  blazing.  He  had  not  seen  living  man 
or  animal  since  his  sight  of  the  migrating 
Indians,  and  he  did  not  think  it  likely  he  would 
meet  any  before  morning.  The  past  day  and 
night  had  been  so  stirring  that  the  present  rest 
was  grateful.  He  assumed  an  easy  posture, 


IN  THE  ROCKIES,  J3S 

half  reclining  on  his  blanket,  and,  supporting 
the  upper  part  of  his  body  on  one  elbow,  he 
drew  out  his  Bible  and  held  it  so  that  the  fire- 
light fell  on  the  printed  page. 

He  read  for  a  full  hour.  Many  of  the  pas- 
sages were  familiar  to  him,  and  he  could  repeat 
them — as  he  often  did  when  riding  or  walking 
alone — without  glancing  within  the  volume.  He 
read  some  of  the  chapters  a  second  and  third 
time,  dwelling  on  certain  verses,  as  if  to  make 
sure  he  lost  nothing  of  their  wonderful  signifi- 
cance and  beauty.  Finally,  he  closed  the  book 
and  placed  it  back  in  its  usual  resting  place. 

The  fire  was  sinking  and  he  flung  more  wood 
on  the  blaze.  Then  moving  beyond  the  circle  of 
light,  he  gathered  his  blanket  about  his 
shoulders,  and,  finding  his  ankle  free  from  pain, 
leaned  back  against  the  face  of  the  rock  and 
gave  himself  over  to  meditation  upon  the  fasci- 
nating and  yet  awesome  mysteries  of  the  Word 
and  of  the  Author  of  them  all. 

Everything  favored  the  sweet,  solemn  reverie. 
He  was  utterly  alone,  so  far  as  any  of  his  kind 
was  concerned.  He  could  hear  the  soft  impact 
of  Whirlwind's  hoof  now  and  then  as  he  shifted 
his  position  and  continued  nibbling  the  grass. 


J32  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

The  night  wind  sighed  around  the  massive  rock, 
fanning  the  blaze,  and  sometimes  rising  to  a 
moan  as  it  careered  upward  and  swirled  about 
the  stupendous  peaks  towering  near  at  hand. 
Far  aloft  he  caught  the  faint  honk  of  the  wild 
geese  hurrying  southward  from  the  Arctic 
winter  that  would  soon  lock  the  world  in  its 
rigid  fetters.  The  dismal  howl  of  a  mountain 
wolf  sounded  far  off  in  the  solitude  and  seemed 
to  linger  tremblingly  in  the  air.  The  silence  was 
all  the  more  impressive  because  of  these  dis- 
turbances which  belonged  to  the  time  and  place. 

Leaning  back  against  the  rugged  rock,  in 
which  a  slight  warmth  was  perceptible  from 
the  contact  farther  away  with  the  blaze,  Deer- 
foot's  thoughts  drifted  to  other  places,  scenes 
and  persons.  He  recalled  his  rambles  with  Ned 
Preston,  Jo  Springer,  Jim  Turner  and  the 
quaint  negro  youth  known  as  "Blossom,"  when 
all  passed  through  many  stirring  experiences, 
as  you  learned  long  since  in  the  "Boy  Pioneer 
Series ;"  and  of  Jack  Carleton  and  Otto  Bel- 
staub  in  the  "Log  Cabin "  stories.  Fred  Lin- 
den and  Terry  Clark  were  to  come  later. 

Deerfoot  had  known  many  men  who  later 
gained  a  place  in  history.  You  will  recall  the 


IN  THE  ROCKIES.  133 

high  esteem  in  which  he  was  held  by  General 
W.  H.  Harrison,  Governor  of  Indiana  Territory, 
and  afterward  President  of  the  United  States. 
It  was  he  who  declared,  when  a  Senator  in 
Washington,  that  he  looked  upon  the  young 
Shawanoe  as  the  greatest  Indian  in  many 
respects  that  ever  lived,  with  natural  abilities 
superior  to  those  of  the  renowned  Tecumseh, 
who,  nevertheless,  holds  the  most  exalted  posi- 
tion in  the  estimate  of  those  that  came  after 
him. 

Daniel  Boone,  the  renowned  pioneer,  regarded 
the  youth  highly,  while  Simon  Kenton,  himself 
one  of  the  best  judges  of  men,  was  as  unstinted 
in  his  praise  as  Governor  Harrison.  The 
acceptance  of  Christianity  by  this  remarkable 
youth  shut  out  forever  the  political  fame  and 
power  that  he  would  have  assuredly  won  had 
he  refused  the  true  faith  and  been  an  Indian  in 
his  traits,  tastes  and  ambitions.  But  the  sweet, 
soul-satisfying  happiness  that  was  always  his 
he  would  not  have  exchanged  for  the  highest 
honors  the  world  can  give. 

The  musings  of  Deerfoot  took  a  daintier, 
softer,  tenderer  tint.  His  thoughts  flew  across 
the  thousands  of  miles  of  forest,  river,  mountain 


J34  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

and  prairie  to  one  whose  image  was  never 
absent  from  his  heart,  and  whom  he  hoped  to  see 
again  and  all  in  good  time  eall  wife.  He  talked 
to  none  of  her,  for  the  theme  was  too  sacred  to 
be  shared  with  another,  but  next  to  his  religion 
it  was  the  sweetest,  dearest  consolation  of  his 
life. 

"In  the  rainbow-tinted  forest, 

Where  the  sleepy  waters  flow,— 
Eoamed  I  with  a  dark-haired  maiden, 

In  an  autumn  long  ago ; 
And  her  dimpled  hand  was  resting 

Timidly  within  mine  own, 
And  her  voice  to  mine  replying, 

In  a  whispered  undertone." 


CHAPTER  X. 

IN  THE  BLACKFOOT  COUNTRY, 

ONE  keen,  sunny  afternoon  in  autumn,  a 
certain  Indian  youth  executed  a  war 
dance  among  the  foothills  to  the  east  of 
the  Eocky  Mountains.     The  only  spectator  of 
the  fantastic  performance  was  a  superb  black 
stallion,  who,  so  far  as  can  be  judged,  found  a 
good  deal  of  entertainment  in  the  sight.    It  was 
long  before  the  days  of  kodaks  and  their  snap- 
shots, which  add  so  much  to  our  enjoyment  of 
everyday  incidents. 

Although  Deer  foot  did  not  waste  any  time, 
it  took  him  a  fortnight  to  thread  his  way 
through  that  immense  range  which  ribs  the 
western  part  of  our  continent.  After  using  the 
last  of  the  crimson  berries  that  benefited  his 
sprain  so  much,  he  spent  several  hours  in  hunt- 
ing for  the  herb;  but  search  high  and  low  as 
much  as  he  might,  he  not  only  failed  to  find  it, 
but  was  never  able  to  discover  the  fruit  in  any 
part  of  the  West. 

135 


J36  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

On  the  morning  following  his  first  encamp- 
ment in  the  mountain  pass  he  found  himself 
strong  enough,  by  using  care,  to  walk  upon  the 
hurt  ankle.  He  was  too  wise  to  push  matters  too 
fast,  which  fact,  added  to  his  perfect  physical 
condition  and  the  effect  of  the  herb,  carried 
him  swiftly  along  the  road  to  recovery.  At  the 
end  of  a  week  not  a  trace  of  lameness  remained. 
He  was  cured. 

His  prudence  restrained  him  until  he  emerged 
from  the  mountain  proper  into  the  foothills, 
when,  knowing  he  was  as  strong  as  ever,  he 
indulged  in  the  exuberant  outburst.  Leaving 
his  blanket  upon  the  back  of  Whirlwind,  but 
holding  his  rifle  in  one  hand,  Deerfoot  leaped 
into  the  air,  spun  around  first  on  one  foot  and 
then  the  other,  sent  his  shapely  legs  flying  seem- 
ingly in  a  dozen  different  directions  at  the  same 
moment,  swung  his  arms,  bent  his  body, 
cavorted  and  made  contortions  that  would  have 
honored  a  professional  acrobat.  Not  only  that, 
but  he  punctuated  the  extravagant  display  by  a 
series  of  whoops  such  as  had  nerved  the  Shaw- 
anoe  warriors  many  a  time  to  rush  into  battle. 

All  this  time  Whirlwind  stood  calmly  watch- 
ing the  performance.  It  is  reasonable  to  believe 


IN  THE  BLACKFOOT  COUNTRY.  J37 

he  was  interested,  and  had  he  possessed  the 
power  of  laughter  he  would  have  thrown  bact 
his  head  and  "cracked  his  sides"  at  the  sight. 
What  a  pity  that  George  and  Victor  Shelton 
could  not  have  peeped  out  from  some  conceal- 
ment. They  would  have  remembered  the  pic- 
ture all  their  lives. 

Only  by  this  grotesque  exercise  could  the 
young  Shawanoe  find  vent  for  his  overflowing 
spirits.  There  is  nothing  in  all  the  world  that 
can  take  the  place  of  physical  vigor  and  health — 
a  truth  which  unnumbered  thousands  do  not 
realize  until  too  late.  Temperance,  right  living, 
obedience  to  the  laws  of  hygiene,  and  a  clear 
conscience,  never  fail  to  bring  their  reward  and 
to  give  to  this  life  a  foretaste  of  the  blessed  one 
to  come. 

Deerfoot  had  chosen  an  open  space,  walled 
in  by  rocks,  boulders  and  stunted  undergrowth 
for  his  physical  outburst.  When  the  perform- 
ance had  gone  on  for  some  time,  he  danced  up 
to  the  side  of  Whirlwind  and  planted  one  of  his 
feet  against  his  ribs  so  sharply  that  the  stallion 
was  forced  back  for  a  step.  Instantly  he 
wheeled,  partly  reared  and  struck  at  his 
insulter,  but  he  was  so  afraid  of  hitting  him 


J38  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

that  the  blow  was  awkward  and  missed  the 
Shawanoe  by  a  goodly  distance.  As  he  dropped 
on  his  feet,  Deerfoot  darted  under  his  belly 
and  repeated  the  blow  from  the  other  side.  The 
white  teeth  of  the  steed  snapped  within  a  few 
inches  of  the  shoulder  of  the  youth,  who  slapped 
the  nose  before  it  could  be  withdrawn. 

iWhirlwind  wheeled  to  face  his  master,  who 
landed  lightly  on  his  back  and  pounded  his  sides 
with  his  heels.  The  contest  recalled  that  other 
struggle  between  the  two,  months  before  on  the 
prairie,  when  it  was  a  battle  royal  indeed.  But 
the  great  difference  lay  in  the  fact  that  the 
present  one  was  good-natured  on  both  sides, 
and  it  is  easy  to  believe  that  the  stallion  wished 
the  youth  to  prove  himself  once  again  his 
master.  An  intelligent  animal  loves  to  obey 
him  who  has  proved  his  superiority. 

There  is  no  telling  all  that  was  done  by  the 
Shawanoe.  He  sharply  pinched  the  glossy  hide. 
He  griped  the  nostrils  of  the  steed  as  if  to  shut 
off  his  breath,  but  was  too  considerate  to  con- 
tinue this  long,  since  the  horse  seems  unable  to 
breathe  through  his  mouth.  He  placed  his  hand 
and  forearm  over  the  eyes  of  Whirlwind  as  if 
he  meant  to  play  blind-man's  buff  with  him. 


IN  THE  BLACKFOOT  COUNTRY.  J39 

He  yanked  the  forelock  and  reproached  him  as 
being  of  no  account. 

The  stallion  did  his  part  in  the  way  of  defense 
and  retaliation,  but  he  was  continually  handi- 
capped by  his  dread  of  hurting  his  master.  And 
yet  it  would  seem  that,  recalling  that  other  con- 
flict, he  ought  to  have  had  no  such  apprehension, 
for  he  had  done  his  best  on  that  occasion  to 
kill  the  Indian  youth,  who  was  not  harmed  at 
all,  and  overcame  the  creature  that  possessed 
ten  times  his  strength. 

Whirlwind  showed  signs  of  fatigue  before 
Deerfoot  did.  A  comparatively  clear  path 
stretched  in  front.  Dropping  from  the  back 
of  the  horse,  the  Shawanoe  challenged  him  to 
a  race.  Bounding  off  at  his  highest  bent,  the 
youth  dashed  across  the  country  with  the  speed 
of  the  wind.  He  ran  as  he  did  when  on  the 
second  half  of  his  race  with  Balph  Genther. 

Ah,  Whirlwind  had  him  now !  No  danger  of 
hurting  his  audacious  master,  except  so  far  as 
his  feelings  were  concerned,  and  the  stallion 
did  not  spare  them.  Despilte  the  favorable 
ground,  more  than  one  boulder  or  bunch  of 
matted  undergrowth  had  to  be  leaped,  and  the 
two  went  over  them  like  a  couple  of  flying  birds. 


J40  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

But  the  steed  steadily  drew  away  from  the  fleet 
Shawanoe,  whcr  at  the  end  of  two  or  three  hun- 
dred yards,  finding  himself  hopelessly  to  the 
rear,  gave  up. 

"Deerfoot  is  only  a  child  when  he  races  with 
Whirlwind ;  have  mercy  on  him. ' ' 

Hearing  his  call,  the  steed  ceased  his  running, 
wheeled  about  and  waited  for  his  master  to  come 
up.  Deerfoot  patted  him  affectionately  and 
vaulted  upon  his  back,  happy  as  he  could  be 
over  the  triumph  of  his  matchless  animal  that 
was  as  well  pleased  as  he. 

The  journey  through  the  Eocky  Mountains 
was  accompanied  by  many  interesting  experi- 
ences which  cannot  be  dwelt  upon.  It  need 
hardly  be  said  that  so  peerless  a  hunter  as  the 
young  Shawanoe  never  lacked  for  food.  That 
region  is  still  a  royal  one  for  game,  and  it  was 
such  to  a  more  marked  degree  a  century  ago. 
Antelope,  deer,  bison  and  the  famous  Eocky 
Mountain  sheep  were  often  seen,  and  when 
Deerfoot  felt  the  need  of  the  food  it  was  simple 
sport  to  obtain  it. 

One  day,  while  walking  in  front  of  Whirlwind, 
he  came  upon  an  enormous  grizzly  bear  that 
seemed  disposed  to  dispute  their  way.  The 


IN  THE  BLACKFOOT  COUNTRY.  141 

stallion  trembled  with  fear,  but  his  master 
soothed  him  and  prepared  for  a  desperate  fight. 
Deerfoot  never  killed  an  animal  in  wantonness, 
and,  though  he  did  not  doubt  that  he  could  over- 
come this  colossal  terror,  he  preferred  to  make 
a  detour  of  the  broad  pass  and  leave  him 
undisputed  monarch  of  the  solitude. 

But,  if  the  youth  showed  mercy  to  animals, 
he  was  not  so  considerate  of  reptiles — especially 
when  they  crawled  the  earth.  He  detested  a 
serpent  with  unspeakable  disgust,  and  believed 
he  was  doing  good  work  in  reducing,  as  oppor- 
tunity presented,  the  noxious  pests.  His  experi- 
ence with  the  rattlesnake  which  caused  his 
wrenched  ankle  did  not  lessen  this  hatred  of  the 
species.  When,  therefore,  a  warning  rattle 
told  him  one  afternoon  that  he  had  disturbed 
another  of  the  venomous  things  beside  the  path, 
his  enmity  flared  up.  No  fear  of  the  Shawanoe 
being  caught  unawares,  as  when  climbing  the 
wall  of  the  canon,  for  he  had  slain  too  many  of 
the  reptiles  in  his  distant  home  not  to  under- 
stand their  nature.  Whirlwind,  like  all  of  his 
kind,  had  a  mortal  dread  of  every  species  of 
serpents,  and  he  showed  his  timidity  the  moment 
the  locust-like  whirring  sounded  from  the  bush 
at  the  side  of  the  path  the  two  were  following. 


J42  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

Deerfoot  caught  sight  of  the  hideous  reptile, 
which  was  evidently  gliding  over  the  earth 
when  it  detected  his  approach.  It  instantly 
threw  itself  into  coil,  and  with  its  flat  triangular 
head  upraised  and  slowly  oscillating  back  and 
forth,  waited  for  the  intruder  to  come  within 
reach  of  its  deadly  fangs. 

Deerfoot  uttered  an  expression  of  astonish- 
ment, for  it  was  the  largest  specimen  upon 
which  he  had  ever  looked,  and  he  had  seen  many 
of  enormous  size.  He  stood  for  a  few  minutes, 
surveying  the  horrible  thing,  a  single  bite  from 
which  would  have  been  fatal  to  man  or  animal. 

It  would  have  been  easy  to  clip  off  its  head 
with  a  rifle  shot  from  where  he  stood,  but  he 
scorned  to  waste  powder  and  ball  upon  its 
species.  Three  stones,  almost  the  size  of  his 
fist,  did  the  work  effectually.  When  no  sem- 
blance of  life  remained,  Deerfoot  approached 
nigh  enough  to  count  the  rattles.  They  were 
twenty-eight  in  number.  The  time  was  near  for 
serpents  and  bears  to  take  to  winter  quarters, 
and  the  fate  of  this  extraordinary  crotalus 
forcibly  illustrated  the  truth  that  delays  are 
often  dangerous. 

Several  times  on  the  road,  Deerfoot  met  those 


IN  THE  BLACKFOOT  COUNTRY.  143 

of  his  own  race.  Sometimes  they  were  war- 
riors riding  their  ponies,  and  again  they  were 
on  foot.  The  Indian  seems  to  be  migratory  by 
nature,  and  many  of  these  families  were  shift- 
ing their  homes,  apparently  in  obedience  to  the 
yearning  for  change  which  is  not  confined  to 
uncivilized  people  alone.  It  is  worthy  of  note 
that  the  Shawanoe  not  once  had  any  trouble 
with  these  strangers.  They  were  hospitable  and 
made  their  meaning  known  by  the  universal  sign 
language.  Whirlwind  could  not  fail  to  draw 
much  admiration,  and  Deerfoot  saw  more  than 
one  envious  eye  cast  on  the  stallion.  It  may 
have  been  due  to  the  Shawanoe 's  caution  and 
tact  that  no  attempt  was  made  to  rob  him  of  his 
treasure. 

Winter  was  near,  and,  though  only  one  or  two 
flurries  of  snow  were  encountered,  the  tempera- 
ture often  sank  below  the  freezing  point.  Soon 
after  entering  the  foothills  a  driving  storm  of 
sleet  set  in  which  stopped  progress  on  the  part 
of  the  Shawanoe  and  his  horse.  The  youth 
sought  out  the  most  sheltered  nook  he  could  find 
among  the  rocks  and  kept  a  fire  going.  While 
he  felt  no  discomfort  himself,  his  companion 
suffered  considerably.  He  often  slept  on  his 


J44  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

feet,  but  now  and  then  lay  down.  Deerfoot  com- 
pelled him  to  share  his  blanket,  and  this,  with 
the  warmth  of  the  blaze,  did  much  to  make  the 
steed  comfortable.  It  was  difficult  at  times  for 
him  to  obtain  grazing,  and  Deerfoot  gave  him 
aid,  as  he  did  months  before,  when  suffering 
from  his  lamed  knee. 

Several  days  later  the  youth  left  the  side  of 
the  stallion  and  climbed  to  the  top  of  a  rocky 
elevation,  which  commanded  an  extensive  view 
in  every  direction.  His  eye  had  roved  over  the 
expanse  but  a  few  minutes  when  it  rested  on  an 
Indian  village  that  lay  a  dozen  miles  to  the 
northeast.  Adjusting  the  spyglass  he  carefully 
studied  the  collection  of  tepees,  which  numbered 
about  a  hundred,  scattered  over  several  acres. 
At  the  rear  stretched  a  forest,  and  in  front 
flowed  a  large,  winding  stream  that  eventually 
found  its  outlet  in  some  of  the  tributaries  of  the 
Missouri. 

The  question  with  the  Shawanoe  was  whether 
or  not  this  was  the  village  he  was  seeking. 
Since  he  had  never  seen  it  before,  and  since  it 
was  the  custom  of  all  Indian  tribes  to  locate 
near  running  water,  he  could  not  make  certain 
on  that  point  from  the  description  given  by 
Mul-tal-la. 


Deerfoot  Lost  in  Reverie  by  the  Camp  Fire. 


IN  THE  BLACKFOOT  COUNTRY-  ><& 

The  glass  was  an  excellent  one,  and  through 
its  aid  he  could  discern  the  figures  of  people 
moving  aimlessly  hither  and  thither.  He  saw 
two  men  enter  a  canoe,  formed  from  a  hollowed 
log,  and  paddle  to  the  other  side  of  the  stream, 
where  they  stepped  out  and  advanced  into  a 
rocky  wood.  He  thought  one  of  these  warriors 
carried  a  gun  and  the  other  a  bow,  but  could 
not  assure  himself  on  that  point.  At  the  rear 
of  the  village,  in  a  large  open  space,  fully  a  score 
of  boys  and  girls  were  playing  with  as  much 
vigor  as  if  they  were  civilized.  They  seemed 
to  have,  a  ball  that  was  knocked  to  and  fro  and 
chased  by  the  happy  contestants,  who  often 
tumbled  over  one  another  and  again  were  piled 
up  like  so  many  foot-ball  players. 

Knowing  he  might  gaze  and  speculate  for 
hours  without  gaining  any  certain  knowledge, 
Deerfoot  was  about  to  lower  his  instrument 
when  he  observed  three  horsemen  emerging 
from  the  settlement  and  riding  in  Indian  file 
toward  him.  He  decided  to  go  forward  and 
meet  them,  for  they  could  give  the  information 
he  was  so  anxious  to  obtain. 

Within  the  following  hour  the  Shawanoe, 
riding  Whirlwind,  came  face  to  face  with  the 


146  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

horsemen,  whom  he  recognized  from  their  dress 
and  general  appearance  as  Blackfeet.  He 
saluted  and  addressed  them  in  their  own  tongue, 
causing  manifest  surprise.  They  replied  to  his 
signs  and  expressions  of  good-will  and  checked 
their  animals  to  hear  what  he  had  to  say.  Let 
us  interpret  the  conversation  with  more  than 
usual  freedom. 

"Do  my  brothers  belong  to  the  Blackfoot 
tribe  of  red  men?"  asked  Deerfoot. 

"We  are  of  that  tribe,"  replied  the  one  who 
acted  as  leader. 

' '  I  come  from  the  Shawanoes,  who  live  a  long 
way  toward  the  rising  sun. ' ' 

"Why  does  the  Shawanoe  travel  so  far  from 
the  lodges  of  his  people?" 

' 'I  am  seeking  friends  who  are  with  the  Black- 
feet.  They  left  many  moons  ago,  but  parted 
company  with  me  in  the  land  of  the  Nez  Perces. 
I  am  trying  to  join  them.  They  are  two  pale- 
faced  lads  who  have  as  their  guide  a  good 
Blackfoot,  Mul-tal-la,  that  has  made  the  long 
journey  to  the  home  of  the  Shawanoes." 

Upon  hearing  these  words  the  latter  turned 
his  head  and  spoke  for  several  minutes  to  his 
companions,  but  his  words  were  so  low  that 
Deerfoot  could  not  overhear  them. 


IN  THE  BLACKFOOT  COUNTRY.  H7 

"Is  Mul-tal-la  in  the  home  of  my  brothers f " 

"No,"  was  the  response.  "He  does  not  live 
there." 

' '  Where  does  he  live  ? ' ' 

Instead  of  directly  answering  this  question 
the  Blackf oot  leader  said : 

"He  lives  in  another  village.  What  is  the 
name  of  his  chief?" 

1  i  He  told  me  it  was  Taggarak. ' ' 

' 'He  is  the  great  war  chief  of  the  Blackf eet. 
There  is  no  sachem  or  chief  like  him.  His  arm 
is  powerful  and  has  slain  many  Assiniboines 
and  Nez  Perces  and  Shoshones." 

"The  words  of  my  brothers  were  told  to  me 
long  ago  by  Mul-tal-la.  I  am  sure  they  are  true. 
Where  shall  I  seek  Taggarak?" 

The  Blackfoot  pointed  to  the  northwest. 

"Kide  that  way  till  night  comes  and  the  sun 
is  again  overhead,  and  he  will  look  upon  the  vil- 
lage of  Taggarak  and  the  home  of  Mul-tal-la. ' ' 

This  was  acceptable  information,  but  a  vague 
fear  caused  Deerf oot  to  inquire  further. 

"Have  my  brothers  seen  Mul-tal-la  since  he 
came  home  from  his  long  journey?" 

"No;  we  have  heard  that  he  has  come  back, 
but  he  did  not  bring  his  comrade  with  him. ' ' 


J48  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

"Have  my  brothers  met  the  pale-faced  youths 
who  went  to  the  village  of  Taggarakf " 

"No;  we  have  not  seen  them,  nor  have  we 
heard  of  them." 

This  was  discomforting  news,  for  it  would 
seem  that  if  tidings  had  come  of  the  return  of 
Mul-tal-la,  something  also  would  have  been  said 
of  his  companions,  who  belonged  to  another 
race.  Deerfoot  asked  only  a  few  more  questions, 
when  he  bade  the  Blackfeet  good-bye  and  set 
out  to  hunt  the  village  of  the  war  chief  Tag- 
garak,  where,  if  all  had  gone  well,  he  would 
meet  Mul-tal-la  and  the  brothers,  George  and 
Victor  Shelton. 


CHAPTEE  XL 
IN  WINTER  QUARTERS, 

THE  time  has  come  for  us  to  turn  our  atten- 
tion to  George  and  Victor  Shelton,  who, 
after  parting  with  Deerfoot,  set  out  for 
the  principal  Blackfoot  village  under  the  guid- 
ance of  their  old  friend  Mul-tal-la,  a  member  of 
that  powerful  organization  of  the  Northwest. 

You  will  recall  that  when  the  little  party  of 
explorers  were  approaching  the  home  of  the 
tribe  they  met  two  warriors,  who  were  old 
friends  of  Mul-tal-la  and  lived  in  the  same  prim- 
itive settlement  with  him.  After  Mul-tal-la  had 
made  known  the  sad  fate  of  his  companion  in 
the  East,  an  earnest  talk  took  place  and  the 
decision  was  made  that  it  would  not  only  be 
imprudent  but  dangerous  to  the  last  degree  for 
the  Blackfoot  to  return  home,  taking  with  him 
the  first  announcement  of  the  deplorable  acci- 
dent that  had  robbed  the  tribe  of  one  of  its  best 
warriors. 

Taggarak,  the  leading  war  chief,  was  a  terri- 

149 


J50  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

ble  sachem,  who,  on  the  principle  that  has  ruled 
for  centuries  in  China,  would  put  Mul-tal-la  to 
death,  even  though  he  was  wholly  blameless  of 
neglect  or  wrongdoing.  It  was  agreed  that  our 
friends  should  push  on  to  the  westward,  and 
then  come  back  to  the  Blackfoot  settlement, 
where  the  Shawanoe  and  the  brothers  would 
spend  the  winter,  resuming  their  homeward 
journey  with  the  coming  of  spring. 

This  would  defer  the  arrival  of  Mul-tal-la  for 
two  or  three  months,  which  his  two  friends 
would  utilize  the  best  they  could.  Taggarak 
would  have  time  for  the  cooling  of  his  resentful 
rage,  and  it  was  to  be  hoped  that  he  would 
appreciate  the  service  of  Mul-tal-la,  who,  young 
as  he  was,  had  proved  himself  one  of  the  bravest 
of  warriors.  The  plan  was  a  wise  one  and  it 
worked  well. 

The  two  messengers  had  a  story  of  absorbing 
interest  to  tell.  They  hinted  at  the  remarkable 
experience  of  their  comrade  among  his  own  race 
and  the  white  people,  hundreds  of  miles  toward 
the  rising  sun.  They  said  that  when  he  came 
to  the  village  he  would  bring  with  him  a  member 
of  the  chief  tribe  of  the  East  and  two  pale-faced 
youths,  who  would  honor  the  Blackfeet  by 


IN  WINTER  QUARTERS.  15\ 

accepting  their  hospitality  for  the  winter. 
There  was  something  in  this  fact  that  appealed 
to  that  chivalric  feeling  which  is  never  wholly 
lacking  in  the  most  degraded  and  cruel  race. 
Taggarak  had  little  to  say,  but  the  path  to  his 
magnanimity  had  been  paved. 

One  of  the  chief  causes  of  this  relaxation  of 
sternness  on  his  part  was  the  accounts  which 
he  heard  of  the  Indian  youth.  His  fleetness  of 
foot,  his  skill  with  bow  and  rifle,  his  personal 
daring  and  prowess,  his  quickness  and  strength, 
his  comeliness  of  face  and  form,  were  dwelt 
upon  and  pictured  in  the  most  glowing  language. 
The  chieftain  Taggarak 's  question  of  the  mes- 
sengers was  characteristic,  as  was  their  reply. 

"Are  all  the  warriors  of  the  Shawanoes  like 
this  youth  of  whom  you  tell  these  strange 
stories  ? ' ' 

"The  Shawanoes  are  no  braver  than  the 
Blackfeet,  but  there  is  none  among  them  like 
Deerfoot,  nor  can  his  equal  be  found  in  all  the 
world. " 

Among  those  who  doubted  the  truth  of  the 
words  of  the  messengers  were  several  aspiring 
bucks,  who  secretly  resolved  never  to  admit  the 
superiority  of  the  Shawanoe  youth  in  any  of  the 


552  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

respects  named  until  such  superiority  had  been 
proved  before  their  eyes. 

The  curiosity  and  spirit  of  hospitality  were 
general  among  the  Blackfeet.  Expecting  the 
visitors  to  spend  several  months  with  them,  they 
made  preparations  for  their  convenience  and 
comfort.  One  of  the  first  things  undertaken  by 
the  two  who  had  met  the  little  party  was  the 
building  of  a  tepee  or  home  for  them.  Mul-tal-la 
had  his  own  father  and  mother  and  would  go 
to  their  lodge,  but  it  would  not  have  been  seemly 
to  place  the  three  guests  with  anyone  else. 

It  has  already  been  said  that  the  Blackfoot 
village,  which  was  the  main  one  of  the  tribe  and 
the  dwelling-place  of  the  leading  chief,  was 
stretched  along  the  bank  of  a  running  stream 
which  was  a  remote  tributary  of  the  Missouri. 
This  river  had  a  rapid  current  and  ran  almost 
due  south  in  front  of  the  village,  which  lay 
wholly  on  the  eastern  bank.  The  tepees  were 
more  than  a  hundred  in  number,  and,  when 
Taggarak  went  on  the  war  path,  he  had  taken 
more  than  two  hundred  warriors  from  his  own 
town — and  they  were  the  flower  of  the  tribe. 

To  the  rear  of  the  settlement  was  an  open 
space  covering  several  acres.  This  was  not  only 


IN  WINTER  QUARTERS.  J53 

the  children's  playground,  but  was  often  used 
by  the  warriors  for  their  games  and  athletic 
exercises.  The  space  was  so  extensive  that  at 
certain  seasons  of  the  year  the  outer  portions 
were  covered  with  rich  nourishing  grass,  which 
was  also  abundant  in  the  neighborhood.  Nearly 
every  warrior  was  the  owner  of  a  horse,  which, 
when  not  in  use,  was  allowed  to  wander  and 
graze  at  will. 

These  Indians  lived  after  the  manner  of  their 
race  when  removed  from  civilization,  which,  as 
a  rule,  has  proved  a  greater  curse  than  boon  to 
them.  Fortunately  they  knew  nothing  of  the 
ruinous  "fire  water"  that  was  to  await  the  com- 
ing of  professing  Christians  and  the  claimants 
of  a  higher  culture  and  civilization.  They  spent 
their  time  mainly  in  hunting  and  fishing,  some- 
times engaging  in  raids  upon  other  tribes, 
several  of  whose  grounds  lay  to  the  north  of  the 
boundary  line.  When  not  thus  employed  they 
lolled  about,  like  true  lords  of  creation,  smoking, 
drowsing  or  indifferently  watching  their 
squaws,  who  did  all  the  tilling  of  the  ground  and 
gathering  of  the  scant  crops  from  the  rich  soil. 
The  Blackfeet  lived  too  far  to  the  eastward  to 
take  any  part  in  the  salmon  fishing  which  gave 


154  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

employment  to  so  many  of  their  race  on  the 
western  slope  of  the  Eocky  Mountains.  The 
warriors  were  finely  formed,  and  were  held  in 
no  little  respect  and  fear  by  the  neighboring 
red  men,  most  of  whom  at  some  time  or  other 
had  felt  the  weight  of  their  prowess. 

The  home  for  the  expected  visitors  was 
erected  at  the  extreme  northern  end  of  the  vil- 
lage, and  was  separated  by  fully  fifty  yards 
from  the  next  neighbor  to  the  south.  About  a 
dozen  saplings  were  planted  in  the  ground  so 
as  to  form  a  circle,  perhaps  fifteen  feet  in 
diameter  and  a  little  less  in  height.  The  tops 
were  tied  together,  but  loosely  enough  to  leave 
an  opening  a  foot  or  more  across  to  serve  as  a 
chimney.  Over  the  framework  thus  formed 
were  stretched  with  no  little  skill  a  number  of 
bison  furs,  with  the  furry  side  in.  They  were 
stitched  together  by  means  of  deer  sinews  and 
pegged  at  the  bottom,  so  as  to  shut  out  all 
draught.  Thus  all  the  interior  walls  were  brown 
and  shaggy  and  warm.  On  the  outside  of 
numerous  tepees,  cured  and  whitened  by  the 
storms,  many  of  the  aboriginal  artists  of  the 
tribe  had  sketched  grotesque  figures  of  men, 
horses  and  wild  animals. 


IN  WINTER  QUARTERS.  J55 

You  will  note  that  the  temporary  home  of  our 
friends  was  of  the  most  primitive  character,  and 
yet  all  had  seen  such  before  and  Deerfoot  had 
spent  many  a  day  and  night  in  similar  ones  in 
the  East.  At  one  side  a  loose  bison  robe  could 
be  lifted,  thus  serving  as  a  door.  When  the 
weather  was  warm  this  fold  was  often  fas- 
tened back  to  permit  a  partial  ventilation  of  the 
lodge. 

In  the  middle  of  the  space  the  fire  was  kindled, 
the  smoke  finding  escape  through  the  opening 
in  the  saplings  at  the  crown  of  the  structure. 
Despite  the  care  with  which  the  robes  were 
joined  together,  enough  air  stole  through  the 
crevices  to  give  the  necessary  draught  for  the 
chimney  and  furnish  the  occupants  compara- 
tively pure  sustenance  for  their  lungs. 

The  bare  ground  was  the  only  floor  to  these 
rude  structures,  but  the  blankets  and  furs 
served  as  so  many  rugs,  and  the  dwellings,  with 
the  crackling  fire  in  the  center,  could  be  made 
comfortable  even  in  the  depth  of  the  rigorous 
winters. 

At  that  early  day,  more  firearms  than  would 
be  supposed  were  found  among  the  Indian  tribes 
of  the  Northwest,  though  naturally  the  old- 


156  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

fashioned  bow  and  arrow  were  the  main  weapon. 
The  flintlocks  were  gotten  by  barter  with  tribes 
on  the  other  side  of  the  Eockies,  who  in  turn 
managed  to  buy  them  from  the  few  ships  that 
were  beginning  to  trade  with  the  savages  about 
the  lower  waters  of  the  Columbia.  These  guns 
were  comparatively  few  in  number,  and  it  is 
hardly  probable  that  there  were  a  score  among 
the  whole  tribe.  Few  as  were  the  firearms, 
several  good  marksmen  had  been  developed 
among  the  Blackfeet,  and  they  were  naturally 
proud  of  their  skill.  When  a  party  engaged  in 
one  of  their  raids,  all  the  muskets  were  taken 
with  them.  But  ammunition  was  used  sparingly, 
for  it  necessitated  long  and  expensive  journeys 
through  the  mountains  to  renew  the  supply. 
You  remember  that  Mul-tal-la  left  home  with 
only  his  bow  and  arrow. 

The  messengers,  when  spending  their  brief 
time  with  our  friends  while  they  were  pushing 
toward  the  Pacific,  heard  of  that  new  religion 
which  was  professed  not  only  by  Deerfoot  the 
Shawanoe,  but  by  his  companions.  It  was  so 
different  from  the  pagan  belief  that  the  couple, 
upon  their  return  to  the  village,  took  care  to 
make  no  mention  of  it ;  better  to  leave  that  until 


IN  WINTER  QUARTERS.  157 

the  arrival  of  Deerfoot.  At  the  same  time  the 
two  Blackfeet  trembled  when  they  thought  of 
what  was  almost  certain  to  take  place.  Tag- 
garak  was  a  fierce  heathen  who  would  savagely 
resent  any  interference  with  the  crude  belief 
that  had  belonged  to  his  people  from  time 
immemorial.  A  collision  between  him  and  Deer- 
foot,  and  perhaps  with  his  companions,  was 
among  the  certainties  of  the  near  future. 

Thus  everything  had  been  prepared  for  Mul- 
tal-la  and  the  Shelton  brothers  when  one  after- 
noon the  three  rode  into  the  village,  with  Zigzag 
the  packhorse  plodding  at  the  rear  of  the  pro- 
cession. The  arrival  made  a  hubbub  of  excite- 
ment, and  it  seemed  as  if  the  whole  settlement — 
men,  squaws  and  children — gathered  clamor- 
ously round  the  horsemen,  who  dismounted  and 
gazed  about  them  with  scarcely  less  wonder. 

The  parents  of  Mul-tal-la  remained  in  their 
own  lodge.  They  must  have  been  more  eager 
than  any  to  welcome  the  son  that  had  been  gone 
so  long  out  of  their  world,  but  it  would  have 
been  weakness  on  their  part  to  hasten  to  greet 
him.  Besides,  he  must  needs  look  after  the 
white  youths,  who  had  now  become  more 
dependent  than  ever  upon  him. 


158  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

The  two  former  acquaintances  were  among 
the  first  to  crowd  forward  to  welcome  the  boys 
and  their  old  companion.  There  was  no  mistake 
as  to  the  genuineness  of  their  pleasure.  They 
told  of  the  quarters  awaiting  the  lads,  who, 
remounting  with  Mul-tal-la,  rode  to  the  new 
residence  erected  at  the  northern  extremity  of 
the  Blackfoot  town,  with  their  guides  walking 
beside  their  animals. 

Mul-tal-la  was  as  stoical  as  any  of  his  race, 
though  he  was  yearning  to  look  upon  that  father 
and  mother  who  would  greet  him,  and  he  them, 
as  if  they  had  been  parted  for  only  a  few  hours. 
Slipping  to  the  ground  again,  the  three  took  a 
peep  at  the  interior  of  the  tepee  which  has 
already  been  described  to  you.  The  boys 
expressed  their  delight  and  thanked  their 
friends  over  and  over  again.  Then  Mul-tal-la 
bade  them  good-bye,  promising  to  call  in  a  short 
time,  after  which  he  lounged  away  toward  his 
own  lodge.  On  the  road  he  continually  encoun- 
tered his  old  friends  and  exchanged  greetings 
and  talked  with  them  as  if  glad  of  an  excuse  for 
delaying  his  reunion  with  his  parents. 

One  of  the  first  bits  of  news  imparted  to  the 
Blackfoot  was  that  Taggarak  was  absent  on  a 


IN  WINTER  QUARTERS.  159 

visit  to  the  farthest  village  to  the  north,  but  was 
expected  soon  to  return.  Mul-tal-la  was 
relieved  to  hear  this,  for,  despite  the  assurances 
of  his  friends,  he  dreaded  the  anger  of  the  terri- 
ble chieftain. 

When  within  a  hundred  yards  of  his  home, 
which  remained  closed  as  if  deserted,  Mul- 
tal-la  turned  into  the  tepee  where  dwelt  the 
parents  of  the  companion  who  had  been 
buried  hundreds  of  miles  away.  The  father  sat 
on  a  pile  of  furs  at  one  side  of  the  lodge,  stolidly 
smoking  his  pipe.  His  squaw  was  kneeling  in 
front  of  the  burning  wood  and  trying  to  blow 
it  into  a  blaze.  They  looked  up  as  the  visitor 
drew  aside  the  flap  which  served  as  a  door. 
The  old  warrior  removed  the  long  stem  from 
his  lips  and  grunted  as  he  recognized  the  visitor. 
The  squaw  raised  her  head,  saw  who  the  caller 
was,  and  resumed  blowing  the  fire,  as  if  she  had 
no  interest  in  what  he  might  say. 

Mul-tal-la  told  briefly  the  particulars  of  what 
the  couple  already  knew,  speaking  words  of 
praise  for  the  lost  one,  and  saying  how  sad  his 
heart  had  been  since  the  dreadful  accident  that 
befell  his  companion.  \  ..  ~-  <H 

The  father  replaced  the  stem  in  his  mouth 


160  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

and  slowly  puffed.  Once  lie  grunted,  but  did 
not  speak  a  word.  The  mother  continued  to  fill 
her  leathern  cheeks  with  air  and  to  blow  upon 
the  fagots  that  were  burning  so  strongly  as  not 
to  need  any  urging.  She  did  not  speak  nor  look 
up  until  several  minutes  after  the  departure  of 
Mul-tal-la. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

BLACKFOOT  CITIZENS. 


Vict°r 
tramping   is    through    for    several 

months  to  come,  and  we  may  as 
well  settle  ourselves  for  the  winter.  " 

"There  doesn't  seem  much  to  do  in  the  way 
of  settling,  "  returned  his  brother;  "here  we 
are,  and  here  we  must  stay  till  spring  comes 
round.  I  wish  it  were  with  us  now,  for  since 
we  have  started  for  the  Ohio  I  have  become 
homesick.  '  ' 

"We'll  soon  get  used  to  this  life  and  shall 
feel  better  when  Deerfoot  joins  us." 

They  had  removed  the  saddles  and  bridles 
from  their  horses  and  the  pack  from  the  sturdy, 
faithful  Zigzag,  and  brought  *hem  into  their 
new  home,  after  which  the  animals,  including 
Bug,  the  property  of  Mul-tal-la,  had  been  turned 
loose  to  browse  with  the  others  at  the  rear  of 
the  village.  Blankets  were  spread  on  the 
ground  at  one  side  of  the  tepee,  to  serve  as  seats 

n  361 


162  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

and  couches,  and  the  other  conveniences,  which 
made  up  most  of  the  burden  carried  thousands 
of  miles  hy  Zigzag,  were  distributed  with  some 
taste  about  the  interior.  Their  native  friends 
had  shown  their  thought  fulness  by  heaping  a 
pile  of  dry  sticks  under  the  chimney,  with  more 
placed  within  reach.  The  starting  of  the  fire 
was  left  to  the  lads.  Nothing  in  the  way  of  food 
was  in  sight,  but  the  brothers  had  no  fear  of 
being  forgotten  or  overlooked.  It  was  several 
hours  before  nightfall,  and  they  reclined  on  the 
furs  to  rest  themselves  before  going  outside, 
A  dozen  or  more  curious  men  and  boys  were 
lounging  near,  for  the  murmur  of  their  voices 
reached  the  brothers,  but  no  one  ventured  to 
intrude  upon  their  privacy. 

"George,  when  we  get  back  to  Ohio  we  shall 
be  able  to  tell  a  story  that  will  beat  anything 
Simon  Kenton  can  relate/' 

"How?  There  are  not  many  that  have 
passed  through  as  much  as  he. ' ' 

"But  he  has  never  been  west  of  the  Missis- 
sippi, and  it  isn't  likely  he  ever  will  go.  We 
must  have  gone  two  thousand  miles  beyond. 
.When  we  see  him  again  won't  we  make  him 
open  his  eyes  with  our  story  of  a  winter  among 


BLACKFOOT  CITIZENS.  J63 

a  tribe  of  Indians  far  over  toward  the  Stony 
Mountains?" 

' '  It  will  be  a  great  story,  indeed ;  but  Victor, 
how  are  we  going  to  pass  the  more  than  a  hun- 
dred days  that  we  must  stay  in  this  settle- 
ment!" 

"Time  goes  fast  enough  when  we  are  on  the 
move,  either  shooting  rapids  in  a  river,  riding 
our  horses  or  tramping  on  foot,  but  it  is  mighty 
dull  to  sit  still  and  do  nothing,  and  we  mustn't 
think  of  any  such  thing. ' ' 

"But  what  shall  we  do!" 

"What  shall  we  do?  Lots  of  things.  We 
can  hunt  and  fish,  play  games  with  the  young- 
sters, learn  to  tramp  on  snowshoes  when  winter 
is  fairly  here,  and,  if  Taggarak  goes  off  on  any 
raids,  we  ought  to  be  able  to  make  a  full  man 
apiece. ' ' 

George  looked  into  the  face  of  his  brother  to 
see  if  he  was  in  earnest. 

"Do  you  mean  that,  Victor!" 

'  <  I  certainly  do.    Why  not ! " 

"It  is  well  enough  to  fight  when  you  have  to, 
but  Deerfoot  will  never  let  you  do  anything 
of  that  kind,  nor  would  I  agree  to  it.  It  would 
be  trying  to  kill  other  people  just  for  the  fun  of 


J64  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

doing  so,  and  that  is  contrary  to  what  the  Shaw- 
anoe  has  taught  us." 

"I  suppose  we  shall  have  to  get  on  as  best 
we  can  with  the  other  amusements,  but  I  trem- 
ble when  I  think  of  the  weather  that  will  be 
here  in  a  few  weeks. ' ' 

George  looked  around  at  the  brown  shaggy 
walls  of  buffalo  fur.  He  grasped  some  of  the 
long  soft  hairs  in  his  palm  and  stroked  the  cool 
mass. 

"We  need  never  run  short  of  fuel,  and  when 
the  fire  is  going  and  the  door  shut  I  don't  see 
why  we  shall  not  be  as  warm  as  in  our  own  home 
at  Woodvale.  But  what  shall  we  do 9  That's 
the  question.  It  will  be  tiresome  beyond  bear- 
ing to  lie  here  stretched  hour  after  hour  during 
the  day. " 

' '  Plague  take  it ! ' '  impatiently  exclaimed  Vic- 
tor; "who  is  going  to  do  anything  of  the  kind? 
I  should  like  to  see  Deerfoot  let  you  sleep  and 
lounge  your  days  away.  He  will  share  the 
lodge  with  us,  and  you  may  be  sure  he'll  keep 
things  moving.  There  isn't  any  weather  cold 
enough  nor  snow  deep  enough  to  hold  him 
within  doors,  and  he'll  hustle  you  out  with  him. 
So  let's  hear  no  more  of  that.  Then  you 


BLACKFOOT  CITIZENS.  J65 

mustn't  forget,  George,  that  we  shall  make  lots 
of  acquaintances  among  these  people.  We  have 
learned  to  speak  a  good  many  words  of  Black- 
foot,  and  shall  learn  more;  we  shall  take  a 
liking  to  some  of  these  folks,  and,  if  we  have 
any  kind  of  tact,  shall  make  them  like  us.  Most 
of  them  have  never  before  looked  upon  a  white 
person,  but  they  will  soon  get  over  their  won- 
der, and  we  shall  all  stand  on  the  same  level. ' ' 

"Well,  Victor,  you  have  done  a  good  deal  to 
cheer  me  up.  I  guess  it  was  the  homesickness, 
after  all,  that  made  me  blue.  See  here,  these 
two  fellows  that  put  up  this  house  for  us  have 
been  such  good  friends  that  we  must  be  able  to 
call  them  by  name. ' ' 

"Mul-tal-la  has  repeated  them  several  times 
to  us." 

"Now,  will  you  repeat  either  of  the  names 
tome?" 

"I  couldn't  do  it  to  save  my  life.  They  are 
so  long  and  outlandish  that  I  can  never  get  my, 
tongue  around  them." 

"Let's  give  them  shorter  names." 

"Well,  suppose  you  name  the  taller  one,  who 
has  such  a  crooked  nose. ' ' 

George  reflected  a  moment  and  replied; 


166  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

"I'll  call  him  'Spink;'  that  is  short  and  easily 
remembered.  I  don't  think  he  will  be  offended, 
for  he  seems  to  be  good-natured. " 

"We  can  fancy  that  it  may  mean  in  some 
language,  'He  that  looks  Sweeter  than  Honey/ 
and  he  will  be  delighted  when  we  manage  to 
make  it  clear  with  the  help  of  Mul-tal-la.  I 
have  the  other  fellow  named. " 

"What  is  it?" 

"Jiggers,  or, The  Warrior  that  showed  Chief 
Taggarak  all  He  Knows.  That  ought  to  make 
him  proud  and  happy." 

So  the  two  Blackfeet  who  had  befriended  the 
brothers  received  their  names,  and  will  be  here- 
after thus  known  when  we  refer  to  them,  instead 
of  using  the  difficult  titles  by  which  they  were 
called  by  those  of  their  own  race. 

From  his  seat  opposite  the  door  that  was 
closed  Victor  had  noticed  a  peculiar  agitation 
now  and  then  of  the  buffalo  flap.  Once,  when 
the  corner  was  drawn  a  little  aside,  he  caught 
the  sparkle  of  a  bright  eye,  which  was  instantly 
withdrawn,  as  if  the  owner  had  noticed  that  his 
peeping  was  observed  and  he  was  scared.  By 
and  by  the  eye  appeared  again,  and  remained 
longer  than  before. 


BLACKFOOT  CITIZENS.  W 

Victor  smiled  and  crooked  his  finger  at  the 
peeping  Tom.  A  moment  later  the  flap  was 
pulled  aside,  so  as  to  display  the  head  of  an 
urchin  some  ten  or  twelve  years  old.  Victor 
had  whispered  an  explanation  to  his  brother, 
and  both  looked  at  the  boy,  who  had  mustered 
up  enough  courage  to  step  inside  the  tepee  and 
then  paused,  as  if  afraid  to  come  forward. 

This  young  Blackfoot  had  the  broadest,  chub- 
biest face  the  boys  had  ever  seen,  and  the  grin 
on  it  seemed  to  touch  each  ear.  He  was  short, 
stocky,  and  the  picture  of  good  nature.  He 
wore  no  cap,  and  his  thick  black  hair  was  cut 
so  that  it  hung  no  lower  than  his  chin  on  each 
side.  He  wore  a  hunting  shirt,  leggings  and 
moccasins  that  were  not  very  tidy,  and  he  car- 
ried nothing  in  the  nature  of  a  weapon  about 
him. 

Victor  and  George  could  not  restrain  a  laugh 
at  the  chap's  appearance.  The  former  con- 
tinued to  beckon  to  him,  and  said : 

"Come  here,  Smiler,  and  shake  hands  with 
your  friend. " 

He  still  hesitated,  and,  rising  to  his  feet,  Vic- 
tor walked  toward  him,  speaking  so  soothingly 
that  the  visitor  kept  his  place,  though  appar- 


J68  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

ently  ready  to  duck  his  head  and  dash  outdoors. 
He  knew  nothing  about  the  ceremony  of  shaking 
hands,  but  he  allowed  Victor  to  take  his  palm  in 
his  own,  and  to  lead  him  back  to  a  seat  on  the 
furs  between  the  brothers.  A  few  minutes  suf- 
ficed to  make  him  feel  at  ease. 

George  and  Victor  called  all  their  knowledge 
of  Blackfoot  into  use,  but  they  could  not  think 
of  a  word  that  was  intelligible  to  the  youngster, 
nor  could  they  induce  him  to  speak.  He  held 
his  forefinger  between  his  lips,  shook  his  head 
now  and  then,  and  glanced  slyly  from  one  boy 
to  the  other,  evidently  well  pleased  but  still 
embarrassed  and  a  little  distrustful. 

Victor  suddenly  crossed  over  to  where  most 
of  the  contents  of  the  pack  carried  by  Zigzag 
had  been  laid  out.  Among  these  were  several 
gaudy  trinkets  brought  all  the  way  from  Wood- 
vale  and  carefully  reserved  for  special  use. 
From  the  lot  he  took  a  string  of  bright  crimson, 
blue  and  green  beads,  strung  upon  a  linen 
thread,  the  loop  being  long  enough  to  slip  over 
the  black  crown  and  leave  the  lower  part  rest- 
ing in  all  its  dazzling  beauty  on  the  breast  of 
the  lad. 

You  cannot  imagine  the  wonder  and  delight 


BLACKFOOT  CITIZENS.  169 

of  the  dusky  urchin.  For  a  few  seconds  he 
seemed  too  overcome  to  speak,  and  hardly 
breathed.  He  looked  down  at  the  glittering 
string,  then  drew  his  forefinger  from  between 
his  lips  and  gingerly  caressed  the  prize.  Grow- 
ing bolder,  he  raised  the  loop  to  his  mouth  as 
if  to  taste  it.  Pressing  one  of  the  beads  with 
his  even  white  teeth,  the  tiny  glass  snapped  into 
fragments,  some  of  which  flew  several  feet 
away.  The  youngster  was  startled  and  glanced 
Up  at  Victor,  as  if  expecting  a  reproof. 

The  lad  pleasantly  shook  his  head  to  signify 
that  the  present  did  not  form  a  staple  article 
of  food,  and  then  the  urchin  slipped  off  the  pile 
of  furs  and  stood  upon  his  sturdy  legs.  Look- 
ing gratefully  up  at  the  paleface  he  lifted  the 
string  over  his  head  and  handed  the  beads  back 
to  Victor.  The  latter  took  them  from  his  hand 
and  immediately  slipped  them  about  his  neck 
again,  thus  showing  that  they  belonged  to  the 
caller.  Then  the  little  one  broke  into  grateful 
laughter,  ran  to  the  door,  thrust  aside  the  flap> 
and  was  gone. 

"You  couldn't  have  hit  upon  a  better  name 
than  'Smiler,'"  said  George  Shelton,  much 
amused  by  the  peculiar  visit  they  had  received. 


J70  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

"Did  you  ever  see  one  with  so  broad  a  grin? 
My  only  fear  is  that  the  other  chaps  will  be 
jealous  of  him  and  expect  us  to  give  them 
presents,  too.  We  haven't  enough  to  go  a  tenth 
of  the  way  round;  but  I  couldn't  refuse  that 
codger." 

The  caller  had  not  been  gone  two  minutes 
when  Mul-tal-la  came  in,  bringing  with  him 
some  buffalo  meat  that  he  had  procured  from  a 
neighbor.  It  was  uncooked,  which  was  a  small 
matter  to  the  brothers,  who  were  glad  to  see 
him,  for  he  was  the  one  person  in  the  village 
with  whom  they  could  converse  freely.  Care- 
fully placing  the  meat  on  several  sticks,  so  as  to 
protect  it  from  dirt,  he  sat  down  to  chat  a  few 
minutes  with  his  young  friends. 

He  told  them  of  his  visit  to  his  father  and 
mother,  whose  hearts  were  made  as  glad  as  his 
own,  after  their  long  separation ;  of  his  call  on 
the  father  and  mother  of  the  companion  whose 
body  lay  at  rest  many  hundreds  of  miles  away 
in  the  East,  and  of  the  comforting  assurance 
that  was  now  his  that  nothing  was  to  be  feared 
from  the  resentment  of  Chief  Taggarak.  Spink 
and  Jiggers  had  received  within  the  preceding 
ten  days  the  assurance  from  the  sachem  him- 


BLACKFOOT  CITIZENS.  \1\ 

self,  so  that  all  uneasiness  was  gone  from  the 
heart  of  Mnl-tal-la.  But,  had  not  the  counsel  of 
the  two  messengers  been  followed,  nothing 
would  have  restrained  Taggarak  from  taking 
the  life  of  the  one  that  had  failed  to  bring  back 
his  comrade. 

Victor  told  of  the  visit  just  received  from 
the  urchin,  and  of  the  present  made  to  him, 
much  to  the  lad's  delight. 

"We  christened  him  'Smiler,'  "  said  Victor, 
'  'for  I  never  saw  such  a  grin  on  the  face  of  man 
or  boy. ' ' 

"We  could  not  help  giving  him  the  beads,  but 
fear  it  will  make  trouble,  for  all  the  other  boys 
in  the  village  will  want  something,  and  we 
haven't  supply  for  half  a  dozen." 

"It  might  have  been  as  my  brothers  say," 
replied  Mul-tal-la,  "if  the  boy  had  been  the  son 
of  one  of  the  ordinary  warriors  like  myself,  but 
he  is  not." 

"Has  he  a  distinguished  father?"  asked  the 
wondering  George. 

"He  is  the  son  of  Taggarak,  our  great  war 
chief." 

"I  never  dreamed  of  that,"  exclaimed  the 
pleased  Victor.  "It  surely  could  not  have  hap- 


J72  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

pened  better.  How  is  it  that  lie  was  braver 
than  the  other  boys  and  came  into  the  lodge 
when  all  the  others  kept  at  a  distance ! ' ' 

"That,"  said  the  Blackfoot  significantly,  "is 
because  he  is  the  son  of  Taggarak  and  knows 
it.  He  can  do  nothing  that  can  bring  him  pun- 
ishment, unless  it  comes  from  his  father,  and 
he  does  not  punish  him  unless  he  acts  as  if  he 
is  afraid  of  something." 

"How  many  children  has  Taggarak?" 

"Only  two — the  one  whom  you  saw,  who 
bears  the  same  name  as  his  father,  and  another 
boy  about  half  as  old,  who  is  Ap-pa-pa-alk.  He 
promises  to  grow  up  like  his  father  and  to 
become  one  of  the  greatest  warriors  among  all 
the  Blackfeet." 

"When  the  chief  learns  that  Taggarak  Junior 
and  we  have  become  friends,  and  he  sees  the 
beads  around  the  neck  of  his  boy,  will  he  not  be 
pleased  and  feel  kindly  toward  us,  who  gave 
him  the  little  present?" 

Mul-tal-la  was  thoughtful  for  a  minute  before 
replying. 

"The  war  chief  is  a  man  of  strange  moods. 
It  may  make  no  difference  in  his  feelings  to- 
ward my  brothers,  but  Mul-tal-la  does  not  think 
he  will  hate  them  for  what  they  have  done." 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

SUMMONED  TO  COURT. 

AD  the  end  of  a  week  George  and  Victor 
Shelton  had  become  full-fledged  Black- 
foot  citizens.  Several  causes  united  to 
bring  about  this  pleasant  state  of  affairs.  In 
the  first  place,  the  boys  used  tact  and  good 
sense.  If  the  attention  they  drew  to  themselves 
became  annoying  at  times  they  did  not  allow 
their  new  friends  to  see  it.  They  played  with 
the  dusky  youths,  and  were  not  sorry  to  find 
plenty  no  older  than  they  who  could  outrun  and 
outjump  them.  It  was  too  cold  to  go  in  swim- 
ming, but  one  day  when  George  and  Victor  were 
crossing  the  stream  in  front  of  the  village  with 
three  other  lads,  one  of  whom  was  their  young 
friend  Smiler,  heir  apparent  to  the  Blackfoot 
throne,  the  overloaded  canoe  suddenly  sank 
below  its  gunwales,  and  all  had  to  swim  through 
the  icy  waters  to  shore.  Every  one  of  the 
three  arrived  first,  and  Smiler  beat  them  all, 
though  in  this  instance  I  cannot  help  suspecting 

173 


J74  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

that  the  two  young  Blackf eet  favored  the  prince, 
but  they  beat  the  brothers  fairly. 

When  the  weather  was  good  there  were  some- 
times as  many  as  fifty  lads  playing  on  the  com- 
mon or  cleared  space  at  the  rear  of  th£  village. 
They  indulged  in  a  species  of  foot-ball,  like  the 
modern  game,  which  was  marked  by  the  rough- 
est kind  of  play.  In  violence  it  sometimes 
approached  our  own  foot-ball,  and  blows  were 
often  given  and  received  in  the  fierce  rushing. 

On  a  certain  forenoon,  in  a  particularly  ex- 
citing contest,  one  of  the  players  landed  a  blow 
on  the  side  of  Victor's  head,  which  sent  him 
sprawling  to  earth.  His  quick  temper  flashed 
into  a  flame,  and  he  leaped  up  with  doubled 
fists  and  made  for  the  offender,  who  coolly 
awaited  him.  A  warning  cry  from  George  re- 
called his  brother  to  his  senses,  and,  instead  of 
attacking  his  assailant,  he  laughingly  plunged 
into  the  melee,  which  went  on  as  merrily  as 
before. 

When  five  Indian  youths  invited  their  guests 
to  go  on  a  hunt  the  boys  took  their  rifles,  but 
their  hosts  carried  only  bows  and  arrows.  On 
the  return  of  the  tired  party  at  nightfall  they 
brought  the  choice  portions  of  three  antelopes, 


SUMMONED  TO  COURT.  J75 

two  of  which  were  slain  by  the  youthful  Black- 
feet,  while  the  one  that  George  Shelton  had 
brought  down  received  also  an  effective  thrust 
from  an  arrow.  The  dusky  hunters  " guyed" 
the  palefaces  who  could  not  do  as  well  as  they 
with  their  primitive  weapons,  even  though  the 
fire  spouted  from  the  iron  tubes  and  the  balls 
that  could  not  be  seen  by  the  eye  carried  death 
farther  than  did  the  missiles  launched  by  the 
natives.  George  and  Victor  took  it  all  in  good 
part,  and  did  not  resent  the  taunts  that  were 
numerous. 

Another  strong  contributing  cause  to  the 
popularity  of  the  Shelton  boys  was  Mul-tal-la. 
He  was  home  but  a  short  time  when  everyone 
in  the  village  knew  of  the  generous  hospitality 
he  had  received  from  the  boys  and  their  friends. 
This  appeal  to  the  gratitude  of  the  Blackfeet 
produced  the  best  effect.  Mul-tal-la  and  the 
messengers,  Spink  and  Jiggers,  had  something 
to  add,  and  their  stories  of  the  remarkable 
young  Shawanoe  roused  much  curiosity  to  see 
him  and  witness  some  of  the  exploits  of  which 
he  was  said  to  be  capable. 

Chief  Taggarak  did  not  return  until  nearly  a 
week  after  the  arrival  of  the  brothers,  and  then 


J76  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

he  kept  much  to  himself.  He  was  reserved  and 
gloomy,  and  though  George  and  Victor  caught 
several  glimpses  of  him,  and  though  they  con- 
tinued to  make  much  of  his  two  boys,  for  the 
younger  moved  about  the  settlement  as  freely 
as  the  elder,  the  great  war  chief  ignored  the 
presence  of  the  visitors  until  he  had  been  at 
home  for  several  days. 

One  afternoon,  after  the  return  of  a  party 
from  a  hunt,  Mul-tal-la  appeared  at  the  lodge 
of  George  and  Victor  with  word  that  the  chief 
wished  them  to  come  before  him  for  a  talk.  The 
boys  knew  so  little  of  the  Blackf oot  tongue  that 
Mul-tal-la  was  to  act  as  interpreter. 

"What  does  he  wish  with  us?"  asked  George, 
who,  like  Victor,  felt  some  misgiving  as  to  the 
object  of  this  command. 

"Mul-tal-la  does  not  know,  but  his  brothers 
need  have  no  fear. ' ' 

"What  did  he  say  to  you?"  asked  Victor. 

' i  Only  that  he  wished  to  see  and  talk  with  you. 
Come  with  me. ' ' 

It  wa..  about  the  middle  of  the  afternoon  when 
the  lads,  under  the  lead  of  their  dusky  friend, 
threaded  their  way  among  the  tepees  to  one 
near  the  middle  of  the  village,  which  might  be 


SUMMONED  TO  COURT.  J77 

considered  the  royal  residence.  This  structure 
differed  from  the  others  in  that  it  was  double 
the  capacity  of  an  ordinary  lodge,  that  one  side 
consisted  of  a  broad  face  of  rock,  that  it  was 
in  the  shape  of  a  square,  supported  at  two 
corners  by  upright  poles,  the  rock  serving  as  the 
remaining  support.  The  fire  was  always 
kindled  against  the  base  of  this  mass  of  stone, 
an  opening  just  above  serving  as  an  outlet  for 
the  smoke. 

When  the  visitors  arrived  Taggarak  was 
alone,  yeated  at  one  side  of  the  large  apart- 
ment, with  a  small  fire  burning  in  its  usual 
place.  His  royal  consort  and  two  children 
were  excluded  from  the  conference. 

The  war  chief  was  about  forty  years  of  age. 
and  his  face  showed  him  to  be  a  man  of  excep- 
tional ability  and  mental  strength.  It  was  easy 
to  understand  the  iron  will  with  which  he  ruled 
the  turbulent  and  warlike  Blackfeet.  He  had 
thrown  aside  his  blanket  and  sat  in  a  close- 
fitting  shirt  of  deerskin,  with  girdle  at  the  waist, 
and  with  leggings  and  moccasins. 

Taggarak  was  not  a  handsome  Indian,  but  he 
was  of  striking  mien.  His  long  black  hair, 
without  ornament  of  any  kind,  dangled  about 

12 


m  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

his  shoulders;  his  mouth  was  broad;  his  nose 
well  formed;  his  eyes  black  and  piercing,  rather 
small,  and  seemed  to  glitter  with  fire  from 
under  his  eyebrows.  His  cheek-bones  were 
prominent,  the  chin  square  and  firm,  and  the 
expression  of  the  countenance  stern  to  the  last 
degree.  [Wrinkles  already  showed  in  his  low, 
wide  forehead  and  at  the  corners  of  his  eyes. 
There  were  two  scars  on  one  cheek,  and  his 
arms  and  body,  had  they  been  uncovered, 
would  have  revealed  many  more,  for  Taggarak 
was  a  mighty  warrior,  who  had  beaten  down 
many  foes  in  single  combat,  and  had  eagerly 
risked  his  life  in  resisting  the  desperate  raids 
made  against  his  tribe,  or  in  pushing  invasions 
among  others  of  his  own  race.  Unlike  many  of 
his  own  people,  he  never  was  vain  enough  to 
wear  the  scalp-lock,  nor  did  he  disfigure  his 
face  with  paint.  "When  he  went  upon  the  war- 
path his  enemies  speedily  found  it  out,  with- 
out any  such  childish  notices. 

Mul-tal-la  led  the  way  into  the  imperial  wig- 
wam, the  brothers  closely  following.  The  three 
respectfully  saluted  the  chief,  who  looked 
keenly  at  them  as  they  entered,  and,  without 
returning  their  greeting,  pointed  to  a  pile  of 


SUMMONED  TO   COURT.  J7? 

furs  on  the  farther  side  of  the  lodge,  where  the 
callers  seated  themselves,  removed  their  caps, 
and  awaited  the  pleasure  of  the  great  man. 

You  will  be  better  pleased  with  a  free  trans- 
lation of  the  conversation,  remembering  that 
Mul-tal-la  acted  as  the  mouthpiece  of  the  chief 
and  the  boys,  though  the  latter  had  picked  up 
enough  knowledge  of  the  tongue  to  catch  the 
meaning  of  a  good  many  of  the  words  spoken 
by  Taggarak,  who,  of  course,  knew  nothing  of 
English. 

"My  sons  have  come  a  long  way  from  the 
land  of  the  rising  sun.  Why  did  they  leave 
their  friends  to  make  so  long  a  journey  ?" 

"We  loved  Mul-tal-la,  and  wished  to  look 
upon  the  great  and  good  chieftain  Taggarak, 
of  whom  Mul-tal-la  said  many  words  of  praise." 

This  reply  was  made  by  Victor,  and  was 
duly  filtrated  through  the  interpreter,  who  was 
pleased  with  the  words  so  flattering  to  himself. 
It  must  be  admitted  that  when  Victor  tried  his 
hand  he  showed  himself  a  promising  student  of 
diplomacy. 

George  thought  it  well  to  add  his  answer : 

"  Hunters  told  us  of  the  great  land  that  lay 
toward  the  setting  sun,  and  we  longed  to  look 


J80  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

upon  it,  as  Mul-tal-la  and  his  friend  longed  to 
look  upon  the  country  where  we  make  our 
home. ' ' 

1  i  When  do  my  sons  go  back  to  their  dwell- 
ing place!'' 

"The  snows  will  he  deep  in  the  mountains 
for  many  moons;  the  palefaces  will  perish  if 
they  try  to  labor  through  them.  They  will  wait 
till  the  sun  melts  the  snows,  and  the  buds  come 
on  the  trees  and  the  singing  of  the  birds  trem- 
bles :"-*.  the  air.  They  will  be  glad  to  do  this  if 
the  great  Taggarak  is  not  displeased  to  have 
them  stay  among  his  people." 

This  had  the  sound  of  a  hint  for  an  invitation. 
Being  such,  however,  it  failed  of  its  purpose, 
for  the  chieftain  ignored  it.  Perhaps  he  did  not 
think  it  worth  the  trouble  to  tell  the  youths  they 
were  welcome;  that  was  to  be  assumed  from 
the  hospitality  already  shown  them. 

"Taggarak  has  heard  of  a  wonderful  war- 
rior who  came  from  the  land  of  the  rising 
sun.  Where  *••  he?" 

"He  has  a  horse  that  he  loved,  which  was 
lost,  and  he  is  searching  for  him." 

"There  are  many  horses  among  the  Black- 
feet  ;  he  could  have  one  of  them. ' ' 


SUMMONED  TO  COURT.  J8J 

"But  there  is  none  like  the  black  stallion  of 
Deerfoot." 

" Where  did  the  warrior  get  him?" 

"The  stallion  was  the  leader  of  a  drove  of 
wild  horses.  Deerfoot  sought  him  out  and  con- 
quered him  without  saddle  or  bridle  or  the  help 
of  anyone." 

This  statement  seemed  so  incredible  that 
Mul-tal-la  felt  it  necessary  to  add  his  own 
statement  that  the  words  of  the  pale-faced  lad 
were  true,  for  he  had  seen  the  exploit  of  the 
Shawanoe  with  his  own  eyes.  Even  then  it  is 
to  be  feared  the  chieftain  refused  to  believe  the 
story. 

"Are  all  the  Shawanoes  like  this  warrior?" 

"There  is  none  like  him,"  was  the  reply  of 
Victor  Shelton,  whose  full  answer  was  faith- 
fully translated  to  Chief  Taggarak.  "The 
Shawanoes,  nor  Wyandots,  nor  Chippewas,  nor 
Nez  Perces,  nor  Shoshones,  nor  Assiniboines, 
nor  any  tribe  are  as  great  as  the  Blackfeet. 
Had  Deerfoot  been  a  member  of  any  of  them, 
he  would  have  been  the  greatest  among  them 
all,  with  the  exception  of  the  mighty  Taggarak, 
whom  no  one  can  equal. ' ' 

Ah,  but  this  youth  from  the  Buckeye  State 


182  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

was  sly.  He  looked  at  the  rigid  coppery 
countenance  of  the  chieftain  as  these  words 
were  interpreted  to  him.  The  youth  thought 
he  detected  a  sparkle  of  the  small  black  eyes, 
but  I  fear  it  was  only  fancy. 

"Why  is  he  called  Deerfoot?" 

"The  palefaces  gave  him  that  name  because 
no  deer  can  run  as  fast  as  he. ' ' 

"My  sons  speak  with  a  double  tongue,"  said 
the  chief,  frowning. 

"They  might  in  the  presence  of  anyone  but 
Taggarak,  but  to  him  they  use  only  a  single 
tongue.  Let  the  great  chieftain  wait  and  see 
Deerfoot  for  himself. " 

Unquestionably  Victor  was  advancing  fast 
along  the  path  of  diplomacy. 

"When  will  the  Shawanoe  be  with  the  Black- 
feet,  who  wait  to  welcome  him?" 

"We  hope  not  many  suns  will  set  before  he 
comes;  but  he  has  had  a  long  way  to  journey, 
and  may  have  to  slay  other  warriors  that  are 
not  willing  to  let  Deerfoot  have  his  steed." 

"The  Shawanoe  may  fall  and  never  see  his 
paleface  brothers  again." 

"We  have  no  fear  of  that,"  airily  replied 
George.  The  next  question  of  Taggarak  was  as 
startling  as  unexpected : 


SUMMONED  TO  COURT.  J83 

"Does  the  Shawanoe  teach  the  religion  of  the 
red  men  or  that  of  the  palefaces  1 ' ' 

The  brothers  looked  significantly  at  each 
other  as  Mul-tal-la  translated  these  words,  but 
Victor  scarcely  hesitated  in  his  reply. 

"Deerfoot  teaches  the  religion  that  he 
believes  is  true.  It  is  of  a  Great  Spirit,  who 
wishes  his  children  to  live  in  friendship  with 
one  another;  not  to  make  war;  to  show  mercy 
to  all;  to  be  forgiving  and  do  what  they  can  to 
make  other  people  happy.  Such  is  the  wish  of 
the  Great  Spirit.  Deerfoot  lives  according  to 
that  faith,  and  we  believe  in  it,  and  try  to  do 
as  he  does." 

The  chief  looked  steadily  in  the  face  of  the 
youth  while  he  was  speaking,  though  he  did  not 
understand  a  syllable  until  it  was  properly  ren- 
dered by  Mul-tal-la.  Victor  gazed  as  unflinch- 
ingly into  the  fierce  countenance  before  him, 
while  uttering  the  noble  sentiments.  His  self- 
respect  forbade  any  shrinking  on  his  part  when 
such  a  question  was  put  to  him.  As  the  inter- 
preter waited  for  him  to  finish,  Victor  added: 

"Tell  him  exactly  what  I  said." 

"And  that  the  answer  is  from  both  of  us," 
added  George. 


1 5  i  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

Mul-tal-la  obeyed,  but  carefully  refrained 
from  saying  that  he,  too,  had  accepted  the  new 
religion,  and  that  the  warriors  who  acted  as 
messengers  were  pondering  over  it,  and  had 
spoken  to  some  .of  their  comrades  on  the 
momentous  theme.  It  is  not  for  us  to  censure 
the  red  man  if  he  was  cautious,  for,  if  need  be, 
he  was  ready  to  die  for  the  truth. 

The  thin  lips  of  Taggarak  curled  with  scorn 
when  he  caught  the  full  meaning  of  the  reply  of 
the  youth.  His  patience  was  gone. 

"The  Shawanoe  does  not  belong  to  the  tribe 
of  Taggarak.  My  sons,  the  palefaces,  are  of 
another  race;  they  may  believe  any  lies  they 
choose,  for  it  is  naught  to  Taggarak.  But  none 
of  Taggarak 's  people  shall  believe  it!  And  if 
the  Shawanoe  seeks  to  turn  them  from  the  faith 
of  their  fathers,  the  Shawanoe  shall  die!  My 
sons  will  tell  the  Shawanoe  what  Taggarak  has 
said,  that  when  he  comes  among  the  Blackfeet 
he  shall  live.  Taggarak  has  spoken,  and  my 
sons  may  go.  They  will  not  forget  the  words 
of  Taggarak." 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

A  NEW  BLACKFOOT  CITIZEN. 

THE  words  of  Taggarak  the  war  chief 
weighed  heavily  upon  George  and  Vic- 
tor Shelton,  for  nothing  was  more  cer- 
tain to  them  than  that  trouble  for  Deerfoot 
was  near.  He  could  not  be  frightened  into  any 
attempt  to  hide  his  light  under  a  bushel,  or  to 
deny  the  faith  that  was  woven  into  the  very 
fibre  of  his  being.  The  brothers  talked  the 
question  over  many  times.  It  was  never 
referred  to  between  them  and  Mul-tal-la,  for 
the  Blackfoot  could  give  them  no  help,  and  the 
final  solution  of  the  problem  must  be  reached 
by  Deerfoot  himself. 

Our  young  friends  joined  as  earnestly  in  the 
games,  the  fishing  and  hunting  as  ever,  and  no 
one  looking  upon  them  would  have  dreamed 
that  they  suffered  any  discomfort  of  mind. 
Thus  the  days  passed  until  two  more  weeks  had 
gone  by,  and  they  began  to  wonder  at  the  long 
absence  of  the  Shawanoe. 

185 


J56  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

There  had  been  a  flurry  of  snow,  and  the 
weather  was  perceptibly  colder.  As  they  sat 
in  their  lodge  after  finishing  their  late  meal, 
the  sifting  of  the  needle-like  points  against  the 
bison  hides  was  soothing  to  the  ear,  and  the 
crackling  wood  fire  gave  a  cheerful  illumination 
to  the  interior. 

Eeclining  on  the  soft  warm  robes,  they 
recurred  to  the  theme  that  was  continually  in 
their  thoughts. 

"I  am  almost  sorry  we  ever  came  to  this 
place, "  said  George,  with  a  sigh.  "We  have 
had  an  interesting  experience,  have  made  a 
number  of  friends,  such  as  they  are,  though 
there  can  never  be  much  in  the  way  of  friend- 
ship between  us  and  these  people. " 

"How  could  we  have  spent  the  winter,  which 
will  be  cold  and  severe  1 ' '  asked  his  brother. 

"Deerfoot  would  have  had  no  trouble  in  find- 
ing some  cave  in  the  rocks  which  we  could  have 
fitted  up  into  as  good  a  house  as  this.  There 
are  places,  too,  where  the  horses  would  have 
been  sheltered  from  the  storms,  and  we  could 
gather  plenty  of  cottonwood  bark  when  grass 
was  beyond  reach,  and  thus  kept  the  animals 
alive." 


A  NEW  BLACKFOOT  CITIZEN.  J87 

"Perhaps  that  might  have  been  done,  but  I 
don't  believe  it  is  as  easy  as  you  think.  It  seems 
to  me  our  hope  is  in  Deerfoot 's  tact.  He  will 
not  listen  in  silence  to  any  attack  upon  his 
faith,  and  when  the  heathen  inquire  of  him  he 
will  answer  them  truly,  but  he  has  enough 
respect  for  the  rank  of  Taggarak  not  to  offend 
him  when  there  is  no  need  of  doing  so." 

"You  see  he  has  already  sown  seed,  and 
there  will  be  inquiries  by  others  from  him. 
Spink  and  Jiggers  have  been  thoughtful  a  long 
time.  They  have  spoken  to  others.  Mul-tal-la 
must  have  done  the  same,  though  he  is  cautious 
and  fears  to  offend  the  chief.  All  these  and 
many  others  will  question  Deerfoot,  who  will 
answer  them  without  thought  or  care,  even 
though  a  hundred  Taggaraks  stood  in  his  way. ' ' 

"Tact  is  a  good  thing,  but  all  that  I  can  see 
it  is  likely  to  do  in  this  case  is  to  postpone  the 
trouble. " 

In  the  midst  of  their  gloomy  talk,  and  with 
the  snow  still  rattling  against  the  dry  bison 
robes  of  their  tepee,  the  flap  was  suddenly 
lifted  and  Deerfoot  the  Shawanoe  entered  and 
caught  the  hand  of  each  delighted  boy.  His 
face  was  aglow  with  health  and  pleasure,  for 
they  were  no  happier  than  he  over  the  reunion. 


188  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

They  slapped  him  on  the  shoulder,  shook  his 
hand  again  and  again,  and  plied  him  with  so 
many  questions  that  minutes  passed  before 
there  was  anything  like  coherence  in  their 
boisterous  chatter. 

" Where  did  you  leave  Whirlwind?"  asked 
George,  thereby  implying  that  he  had  not  a 
shadow  of  doubt  of  the  success  of  the  venture 
of  the  young  Shawanoe. 

"This  afternoon,  when  coming  from  the  east 
to  this  settlement,"  replied  their  friend,  "Deer- 
foot  came  in  sight  of  Mul-tal-la,  who  was  hunt- 
ing alone.  He  had  just  shot  an  antelope,  and 
we  sat  down  and  ate  it  together.  Then  we 
came  to  the  village  as  it  was  growing  dark. 
Mul-tal-la  showed  Deerfoot  where  the  horses 
are  free.  There  is  snow  on  the  ground,  but  not 
enough  to  hide  all  the  grass,  and  Deerfoot  was 
told  of  a  place  to  the  west,  where  Mul-tal-la 
says  the  shelter  sometimes  permits  the  grass 
to  keep  green  all  winter.  There  the  horses  will 
soon  be  taken,  and  shelter  has  been  made  for 
them.  Whirlwind,  after  Deerfoot  had  talked 
with  him,  consented  to  go  among  the  horses, 
as  Zigzag,  Prince  and  the  others  have  done. 
He  does  not  like  to  mingle  with  common  ani- 
mals, and  is  as  proud  as  ever." 


A  NEW  BLACKFOOT  CITIZEN.  J89 

"We  have  enough  left  of  our  buffalo  meat  to 
furnish  you  a  meal,  Deerfoot,  but  you  told  us 
you  had  eaten  only  a  little  while  ago. ' ' 

"Deerfoot  thanks  his  brothers,  and  will  not 
eat  until  to-morrow. ' ' 

"I  suppose  Mul-tal-la  told  you  all  about  us?" 

"He  has  left  little  for  you  to  tell.  Deerfoot 
is  glad  to  hear  his  brothers  have  been  so  well, 
but  they  have  much  to  say  that  he  would  like  to 
hear." 

"0  Deerfoot!"  exclaimed  Victor;  "tell  us 
how  you  got  Whirlwind  back.  You  must  have 
had  a  pretty  hard  time,  for  you  were  gone  a 
month. ' ' 

The  three  seated  themselves  on  the  soft  furs, 
George  first  throwing  additional  wood  on  the 
blaze,  and  the  Shawanoe,  knowing  how  inter- 
ested his  friends  were,  modestly  related  the 
story  with  which  you  became  familiar  long  ago. 
The  boys  were  so  absorbed  in  the  narration 
that  they  did  not  speak  nor  move  until  it  was 
ended.  He  made  light  of  the  dangers  and  dif- 
ficulties which  he  overcame,  and  it  was  plain  to 
his  listeners  that  he  slurred  over  more  than  one 
of  his  most  remarkable  exploits. 

The  brothers  found  it  almost  amusing  to  hear 


190  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

that  the  young  Shawanoe  had  so  wrenched  one 
of  his  ankles  that  he  could  not  use  it  for  a  time. 
It  was  so  remarkable  to  learn  that  he  had  suf- 
fered from  anything  of  that  nature  that  they 
found  it  hard  to  associate  the  two.  The  manner 
in  which  Deerfoot  stepped  into  the  tent  proved 
that  he  did  not  feel  the  slightest  effects  of  the 
hurt.  The  Shawanoe  told  his  friends  that  he 
and  Mul-tal-la  had  purposely  tarried  outside  the 
village  until  dark,  because  the  newcomer  did  not 
care  to  have  his  arrival  become  known  until  the 
morrow.  He  wished  to  enjoy  the  first  evening 
undisturbed  with  his  old  friends.  Being  on  foot, 
with  a  blanket  about  his  shoulders  like  Mul- 
tal-la  and  many  other  Blackfeet,  he  looked  so 
much  like  one  of  them  in  the  night  that  he 
attracted  no  notice,  and  Mul-tal-la  promised  to 
tell  no  one  of  the  presence  of  the  youth  whom 
all  were  eager  to  see. 

It  was  not  until  late  in  the  evening  that  the 
Shawanoe  spoke  of  the  theme  that  had  troubled 
the  brothers  so  long.  Mul-tal-la  had  told  him 
of  the  conversation  with  Taggarak,  and  he 
asked  the  boys  to  give  their  recollection,  not 
omitting  a  word  they  could  recall.  Their  friend 
listened  gravely,  and  was  silent  when  they  had 


A  NEV  BLACKFOOT  CITIZEN.  W 

finished,  his  dark  eyes  fixed  upon  the  fire  in  the 
middle  of  the  lodge,  as  if  his  meditations  had 
drifted  beyond  the  time  and  place.  After  wait- 
ing  for  several  minutes,  Victor  said : 

"Deerfoot,  you  can't  know  how  much  we  are 
worried.  "We  understand  how  you  feel  and  that 
no  danger  can  scare  you  into  denying  the  true 
religion,  any  more  than  it  can  scare  George  and 
me,  but  you  may  as  well  be  careful  and  avoid 
rousing  the  anger  of  Taggarak,  so  long  as  there 
is  no  need  of  provoking  him. ' ' 

"What  would  my  brothers  have  Deerfoot 
do  I ' '  gently  asked,  the  Shawanoe. 

"We  don't  know/'  replied  George.  "Vic  and 
I  have  talked  about  this  a  hundred  times  since 
our  call  on  the  chief,  and  we  are  puzzled  as  well 
as  worried." 

"Are  my  brothers  ready  to  die  for  the 
religion?" 

'  '  We  are,  and  will  prove  it  if  it  ever  becomes 
necessary;  but,"  added  Victor,  "we  don't  see 
the  need  of  dying  when  there  isn't  any  need 
of  it." 

This  original  bit  of  philosophy  caused  Deer- 
foot  to  turn  and  look  with  a  half-serious 
expression  into  the  face  of  Victor. 


J92  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

"How  great  is  the  wisdom  of  my  brother! 
Who  taught  him  such  things?" 

Then  assuming  a  graver  countenance,  but 
gazing  steadily  at  his  friend,  he  added : 

"There  was  One  who  died  on  the  cross  for 
you  and  Deerfoot." 

There  was  a  world  of  meaning  in  these  words, 
and  they  fitly  closed  the  conversation  for  the 
night.  All  lay  down  soon  after  and  slept  until 
morning. 

The  snow  ceased  falling,  and  only  a  thin  coat- 
ing lay  on  the  ground  at  daylight.  An  unusual 
moderation  in  the  temperature  carried  this 
away  before  nightfall,  and  the  weather  became 
almost  spring-like,  or  rather  resembled  the 
lingering  days  of  Indian  summer,  which  are  the 
expiring  gasp  of  the  mild  season,  soon  to  be 
followed  by  the  biting  rigors  of  winter. 

Before  noon  it  was  known  throughout  the 
Blackfoot  village  that  the  remarkable  young 
Shawanoe  had  arrived.  The  excitement  was 
greater  than  that  caused  by  the  coming  of  Vic- 
tor and  George  Shelton,  and  for  a  time  Deer- 
foot  was  seriously  annoyed,  but  he  strove  to 
bear  it  with  the  sensible  philosophy  of  his 
nature.  Those  who  saw  him  as  he  moved  here 


A  NEW  BLACKFOOT  CITIZEN.  J93 

and  there  with  the  boys,  or  Mul-tal-la,  or  Spink 
and  Jiggers,  had  to  admit  the  truth  of  the 
assertion  heard  many  times;  he  was  the  most 
prepossessing  young  warrior  upon  whom  any  of 
them  had  ever  looked.  Neither  among  the 
Blackfeet  nor  any  of  their  neighboring  tribes 
had  so  comely  a  youth  been  seen.  And  this 
being  the  fact,  many  were  more  unwilling  than 
before  to  believe  he  was  so  powerful,  so  active, 
so  fleet  of  foot  and  so  athletic  as  had  been 
claimed.  This  doubt  was  not  lessened  by  the 
conduct  of  Deerfoot  himself.  He  soon  became 
acquainted  with  nearly  everyone  in  the  village, 
and  went  upon  hunting  expeditions  with  them, 
but  displayed  no  more  skill  than  most  of  his 
companions.  He  avoided  all  trials  of  speed, 
though  often  invited  to  take  part  by  the  doubt- 
ers. In  crossing  the  river  in  a  canoe  with  two 
of  his  new  acquaintances,  he  swung  a  paddle, 
while  each  of  them  did  the  same.  The  Blackfeet 
saw  no  evidence  of  skill  superior  to  theirs, 
because  in  truth  none  was  displayed.  He  was 
urged  to  take  part  in  their  games,  but  made 
excuse  to  act  only  as  spectator.  He  did  not  wish 
to  become  a  competitor  and  deceive  the  others 
by  not  doing  his  best.  His  modesty  led  him  to 


194  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS, 

shrink  from  exhibiting  his  abilities.  Moreover, 
he  had  a  feeling  that  it  savored  of  ingratitude 
or  lack  of  appreciation  of  the  hospitality  he  was 
receiving  to  place  himself  at  the  fore,  as  he 
knew  he  could  readily  do. 

But  it  had  to  come.  Too  many  boasts  had 
been  made  by  the  friends  of  Deerfoot  for  the 
envious  Blackfeet  to  allow  the  Shawanoe  to 
rest  upon  such  laurels.  Neither  Mul-tal-la  nor 
the  brothers  would  abate  one  bit  of  their  claims. 
Deerfoot  would  have  stopped  them  had  not  the 
mischief,  as  he  viewed  it,  been  done  before  his 
coming.  He  could  only  remain  mute  and  hope 
the  matter  would  die  out  of  itself.  But  that 
was  impossible. 

The  most  noted  test  of  athletic  skill  that  ever 
occurred  in  the  history  of  the  Blackfeet  tribe 
took  place  one  bright,  keen,  sunshiny  after- 
noon on  the  bleak  plain  at  the  rear  of  the  village. 
A  week  had  been  spent  in  making  the  prepara- 
tions as  thorough  as  they  could  be  made.  Run- 
ners came  from  three  of  the  other  villages,  and 
they  were  the  flower  of  the  tribe — lithe,  sinewy, 
swift  and  splendid  specimens  of  manly  beauty, 
symmetry  and  grace.  Each  was  worthy  of 
being  called  a  champion,  and  all  were  confident 


&IACKFOOT  CITIZEN.  195 

of  lowering  the  colors  of  the  dusky  stranger 
from  the  land  of  the  rising  sun,  who  had  been 
presumptuous  enough  to  be  persuaded  to  enter 
a  trial  that  must  disgrace  him.  More  than  one 
believed  that  in  his  chagrin  the  Shawanoe  would 
hasten  from  the  village  and  never  more  be  seen 
in  that  part  of  the  world. 

Now,  it  would  be  interesting  to  tell  all  about 
this  memorable  tournament,  but  you  have  no 
more  doubt  of  the  result  than  did  the  victor 
from  the  moment  he  consented  to  enter  into  it. 
Mul-tal-la  and  the  Shelton  brothers,  including 
Spink  and  Jiggers,  impressed  upon  the  Shawa- 
noe the  necessity  of  his  doing  his  best,  no  matter 
what  the  nature  of  the  struggle  might  be.  He 
promised  to  follow  their  counsel,  as  he  did  that 
of  Simon  Kenton  at  the  foot  race  at  Woodvale 
the  year  before. 

Five  contestants  entered  against  DeerfooL 
The  distance  was  about  two  hundred  yards. 
Never  before  was  the  Shawanoe  pitted  against 
such  fleet  runners,  but  he  finished  the  struggle 
fifty  feet  in  front  of  the  foremost.  The  specta- 
tors, as  well  as  the  defeated  runners  themselves, 
were  dazed,  and  could  hardly  credit  their  own 
senses. 


J96  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

Not  less  crushing  were  Deerfoot's  victories  in 
the  running,  the  standing  and  the  high  jump. 
Like  all  great  athletes,  his  triumphs  seemed  to 
be  won  without  calling  upon  his  reserve  capac- 
ity, and  therefore  with  much  less  apparent 
effort  than  shown  by  his  rivals.  In  firing  at  a 
target,  he  left  the  few  marksmen  of  the  tribe 
hopelessly  out  of  sight.  Then  he  borrowed 
Mul-tal-la's  bow,  and  every  arrow  that  he 
launched  went  farther  and  truer  than  any  other. 
Altogether  it  was  a  great  day  for  Deerfoot  the 
Shawanoe. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

THE  SPIRIT  CIRCLE. 

NEVEE  in  all  their  lives  were  the  Shel- 
ton  brothers  prouder  of  Deerfoot 
the  Shawanoe  than  when  they  saw  him 
utterly  defeat  the  finest  athletes  of  the  Black- 
foot  tribe.  The  youth  had  done  his  best,  as  he 
was  urged  to  do,  and  his  triumph  was  too 
overwhelming  for  anyone  to  question  it.  He 
had  been  pitted  against  the  very  flower  of  that 
powerful  people,  who  at  that  time  numbered 
between  three  and  four  thousand  souls.  The 
pick  of  the  runners  and  marksmen  had  come 
from  the  other  villages,  and  every  one  was 
decisively  vanquished. 

The  delight  of  Mul-tal-la  and  of  Spink  and 
Jiggers  was  hardly  less  than  that  of  the  boys. 
Mul-tal-la  knew  the  Shawanoe  would  win, 
while  the  other  two  Blackfeet  merely  believed 
it,  for  they  had  never  been  intimately  associ- 
ated with  the  champion  of  champions,  and  only 

197 


J95  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

remembered  what  Mul-tal-la  told  them  he  had 
witnessed. 

Human  nature  is  the  same  the  world  over, 
and  among  the  defeated  ones  was  a  feeling  of 
envy  and  resentment  toward  the  young  war- 
rior who  belonged  to  another  tribe,  and  who, 
after  coming  many  hundreds  of  miles,  had 
put  them  all  to  shame.  This  was  to  be 
expected,  and  it  caused  no  uneasiness  to  Deer- 
foot,  who  had  faced  it  many  times  among  his 
own  race  as  well  as  on  the  part  of  white 
people. 

But  the  Shawanoe  took  little  or  no  pleasure 
in  his  victory.  He  had  entered  into  the  con- 
test because  he  could  not  help  it.  Had  he 
reached  the  village  at  the  same  time  with  his 
friends,  he  would  have  sternly  forbidden  any 
reference  to  his  brilliant  physical  powers,  and 
thus  prevented  the  tournament  that  was  so  dis- 
tasteful to  him;  but,  as  I  have  shown,  the  mis- 
chief was  done  before  he  came  upon  the  scene. 
His  reputation  had  been  proclaimed,  and 
naught  remained  but  to  prove  that  only  the 
simple  truth  had  been  told  of  him. 

That  evening  the  four  friends  who  had  spent 
so  many  days  and  nights  together  were  gath- 


THE  SPIRIT  CIRCLE,  J99 

ered  in  the  lodge  at  the  northern  end  of  the 
village.  Time  had  been  given  for  the  excite- 
ment to  die  out.  Three  of  the  defeated  cham- 
pions were  well  on  their  way  to  their  own  vil- 
lage, when,  had  the  result  been  different,  they 
would  have  staid  for  several  days  in  what  may 
be  considered  the  Blackfoot  capital.  The  hum 
and  murmur  of  voices  and  the  restless  moving 
to  and  fro  were  audible  outside,  but  the  old 
companions  were  left  to  themselves.  Mul- 
tal-la  had  succeeded  in  impressing  upon  his 
countrymen  that  when  their  guests  retired  to 
their  tepee  they  were  not  to  be  intruded  upon. 

The  fire  was  burning  in  the  middle  of  the 
primitive  home,  and  George  and  Victor  Shel- 
ton  and  Mul-tal-la  were  seated  on  the  furs  that 
were  spread  along  three  sides  of  the  apart- 
ment. Deerfoot  sat  by  himself,  removed  from 
all.  He  was  partly  reclining  on  one  elbow  and 
gazing  into  the  fire,  as  if  sunk  in  meditation. 
The  boys  knew  the  meaning  of  his  attitude 
and  air;  he  was  dissatisfied  with  what  had 
occurred  that  day. 

"By  gracious !"  said  Victor;  "if  I  could  do 
what  you  did,  Deerfoot,  Fd  be  so  proud  I 
wouldn't  speak  to  George  or  Mul-tal-la  or  you; 


200  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

and  yet  you  don't  seem  to  feel  a  bit  stuck  up. 
You  ought  to  be  ashamed  of  yourself. ' ' 

The  Shawanoe  made  no  reply,  but  continued 
gazing  into  the  fire,  as  if  he  did  not  hear  the 
words.  George  added: 

"Your  victory  will  be  talked  about  among 
all  the  Blackfoot  villages,  and  the  children  of 
to-day  will  tell  their  children  about  it  long 
after  we  are  gone." 

Mul-tal-la  kept  glancing  at  Deerfoot  with  an 
admiring,  affectionate  expression,  and,  noting 
his  continued  silence,  he  said  in  a  gentle  voice : 

"The  Blackfeet  did  not  think  Mul-tal-la 
spoke  with  a  single  tongue ;  they  said  his  words 
were  lies,  but  they  do  not  say  so  now." 

"I  didn't  see  anything  of  Taggarak,"  added 
Victor.  "I  looked  around  for  him  after  the 
battle  was  won.  Why  did  he  stay  away?" 

Deerfoot  for  the  first  time  noted  what  was 
said.  He  lifted  his  head  from  his  elbow  and 
sat  upright. 

"Taggarak  was  there;  Deerfoot  saw  him," 
he  quietly  remarked. 

"Yes;-  Mul-tal-la  passed  near  him.  The 
chief  kept  by  himself  and  spoke  to  no  one.  He 
was  on  the  side  nearest  the  wood.  Just  before 


SPIRIT  CIRCLE.  201 

the  last  race  was  won  he  turned  away  and  went 
back  to  his  lodge. " 

"What  was  the  meaning  of  thatf"  asked  the 
Shawanoe.  "Is  he  displeased  with  the  defeat 
of  his  young  men?" 

"It  is  the  other  way;  he  is  glad  their  conceit 
has  been  checked.  The  Blackfeet  are  great 
boasters,  and  he  has  reproved  them  many 
times.  Mul-tal-la  saw  him  smile  when  Deer- 
foot  came  home  many  paces  in  front  of  that 
tall  warrior,  who  is  the  greatest  boaster  of 
them  all.  Taggarak  was  glad  when  he  was 
defeated." 

"It  pleases  us  more  than  we  can  tell  to  know 
that  Deerfoot  has  won  the  good-will  of  the  war 
chief,"  observed  George  Shelton,  who  could 
not  forget  that  ominous  conversation  they  had 
had  some  time  before  with  Taggarak.  "It  will 
make  our  stay  more  pleasant  than  I  believed  it 
would  be." 

The  observant  Victor  noticed  that  Mul-tal-la 
gave  no  reply  to  this  remark,  which  had  been 
made  in  the  hope  of  being  confirmed  by  the 
Blackfoot.  The  latter  glanced  at  the  Shawa- 
noe, whose  eyes  again  rested  upon  the  fire. 
George  threw  a  couple  of  sticks  in  the  blaze 


202  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS* 

and  then  resumed  his  seat  beside  his  brother, 
When  the  stillness  was  becoming  oppressive, 
Mul-tal-la  startled  all  three  of  his  listeners  by 
what  was  certainly  a  remarkable  question: 
"Is  Deerfoot  afraid  of  any  man?" 
Even  the  Shawanoe  flashed  a  surprised  look 
upon  the  Blackfoot. 

"Why  does  my  brother  ask  Deerfoot  that?" 
"He  shall  soon  know.   Will  Deerfoot  answer 
Mul-tal-la?" 

The  question  seemed  to  rouse  the  Shawanoe, 
who  spoke  with  more  animation  than  he  had 
shown  since  the  group  had  come  together  for 
the  evening. 

"No;  Deerfoot  fears  no  man  that  lives!  God 
has  given  him  more  power  and  skill  than  he 
deserves.  He  has  never  denied  protection  to 
Deerfoot.  He  has  told  him  to  do  right,  and 
Deerfoot  tries  to  obey  His  will.  When  He 
thinks  the  time  has  come  for  Deerfoot  to  go 
ito  Him,  Deerfoot  will  be  ready  and  will  be 
glad.  Deerfoot  knows  He  is  not  pleased  with 
such  things  as  took  place  to-day.  What  is  it 
for  one  man  to  run  faster  or  shoot  straighter 
than  another?  No  credit  belongs  to  Mm,  for  it 
is  God  who  gives  him  the  power.  Deerfoot 


THE  SPIRIT  CIRCLE.  203 

would  sin  if  he  shrank  from  any  task  laid  upon 
him;  but  a  victory  like  that  just  won  does  no 
one  any  good.  Deerfoot  would  be  happier  if 
he  could  turn  the  thoughts  of  all  those  people 
to  the  true  God." 

In  the  warmth  of  his  feelings  the  Shawanoe 
had  wandered  from  the  question  just  asked 
him,  but  in  doing  so  he  revealed  the  nobility  of 
his  nature.  He  was  oppressed  by  the  belief 
that  the  strife  in  which  he  had  been  the  victor 
not  only  accomplished  no  real  good,  but 
actually  retarded  the  work  he  had  in  mind. 
He  came  back  to  the  question  his  friend  had 
just  asked. 

"Why  does  my  brother  think  Deerfoot  is 
afraid  of  any  man?" 

Mul-tal-la  could  not  hide  a  certain  nervous- 
ness, but  with  all  the  calmness  he  could  sum- 
mon he  parried  the  direct  question  by  the 
remark : 

"The  most  terrible  warrior  of  all  the  Black- 
feet  is  Taggarak  the  chieftain;  he  has  slain 
many  men  in  battle  and  has  never  been  con- 
quered. ' ' 

The  inference  from  this  remark  was  obvious 
even  to  the  boys.  It  was  Victor  who  asked  in 
surprise : 


204  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

"Is  Deerfoot  to  fight  with  Taggarak?  If  he 
does,  I'll  bet  on  Deerfoot. " 

To  any  others  except  those  present  the 
words  of  the  Shawanoe  would  have  sounded 
like  boasting,  but  there  was  no  such  thought  in 
his  heart. 

"Deerfoot  has  no  more  fear  of  Taggarak 
than  he  has  of  a  pappoose.  He  may  be  a  great 
warrior,  but  Deerfoot  has  conquered  as  great 
warriors  as  he." 

Determined  that  Mul-tal-la  should  parry  no 
longer,  the  Shawanoe  forced  him  to  a  direct 
answer. 

"Why  does  my  brother  think  Taggarak 
wishes  to  fight  him?" 

The  reply  was  astonishing: 

"The  squaw  of  Taggarak  is  seeking  to  learn 
of  the  God  that  she  has  been  told  is  known  to 
the  Shawanoe.  She  has  asked  me,  she  has 
asked  Kepkapkolakak  and  Borabtrik  (the  mes- 
sengers known  as  'Spink'  and  'Jiggers').  She 
does  not  sleep  because  of  her  heaviness  of 
mind." 

"Does  Taggarak  know  of  this?"  asked  the 
surprised  Deerfoot. 

"Not  yet;  but  it  must  soon  come  to  his 
knowledge." 


THE  SPIRIT  CIRCLE.  205 

"Will  he  harm  his  wife!" 

"Mul-tal-la  cannot  say;  he  may  put  her  to 
death.  There  is  no  doubt  that  he  will  slay 
Deerfoot — if  he  can,"  added  the  Blackfoot  sig- 
nificantly, "or  he  will  make  him  walk  around 
the  Spirit  Circle  till  he  drops  dead.'7 

Deerfoot  stared  in  astonishment.  He  was 
mystified. 

"The  Spirit  Circle/'  he  repeated.  "Does 
Deerfoot  hear  aright?  If  so,  what  does  his 
brother  mean!  Deerfoot  is  listening. " 

Thus  appealed  to,  the  Blackfoot  was  silent 
for  a  minute,  as  if  gathering  his  thoughts.  He 
looked  up  at  the  opening  in  the  roof  of  the 
lodge,  then  into  the  fire,  and,  addressing  the 
three,  repeated  the  following  myth  or  legend, 
which  has  been  extant  among  the  Blackfeet 
Indians  from  time  immemorial: 

"Many,  many  moons  ago,  long  before  the 
parents  of  our  oldest  men  were  born,  a  chief- 
tain as  great  as  Taggarak  ruled  the  Blackfeet. 
His  fame  reached  far  to  the  north,  to  the  east, 
to  the  south  and  to  the  west,  beyond  the  Stony 
Mountains,  to  the  shore  of  the  great  water,  for 
there  was  none  like  him.  In  those  far-away 
days  the  home  of  Wahla,  chieftain  of  the 


206  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

Blackfeet,  was  to  the  south  of  this  village,  on 
the  banks  of  the  Two  Eivers. 

"Wahla  had  a  daughter  who  was  the  most 
beauteous  maiden  that  warrior  ever  looked 
upon.  She  was  loving  and  dainty,  and  the  idol 
of  the  stern  old  warrior,  who  would  have  cut 
off  his  right  hand  rather  than  have  the  slight- 
est harm  come  to  her.  Never  did  father  love 
daughter  more  than  Chief  Wahla  loved  Mita 
the  Eose  of  the  Forest. 

"Wahla  returned  one  day  from  a  fierce  bat- 
tle with  the  Cheyennes.  A  great  victory  had 
been  won,  and  the  Blackfeet  brought  home  a 
score  of  prisoners,  that  they  might  be  tied  to 
the  stake  and  burned  while  their  captives  made 
merry  over  their  sufferings.  This  was  the  cus- 
tom of  the  Blackfeet,  and  they  have  not  yet 
forgotten  such  amusements. 

"Among  the  captives  was  a  manly  youth, 
who  was  proud  and  brave,  and  had  slain 
three  of  the  Blackfeet  and  wounded  Wahla 
himself  before  they  made  him  prisoner.  He 
scorned  to  ask  mercy,  which  would  have  been 
denied  him,  and,  without  a  tremor  of  limb  or  a 
dimming  of  his  bright  eyes,  awaited  the  cruel 
death  that  he  knew  had  been  prepared  for  him 
and  his  comrades. 


THE  SPIRIT  CIRCLE.  207 

"Wahla  had  to  keep  his  captives  for  a  week 
or  more  until  word  could  be  sent  to  the  other 
villages,  that  they  might  come  and  feast  upon 
the  deaths  of  the  Cheyennes.  During  that 
time,  Mul-tal-la  cannot  tell  how,  the  young 
Cheyenne  warrior  and  Mita,  daughter  of  the 
chieftain,  met  and  learned  to  love  each  other. 
No  one  knew  their  secret,  and  so,  while  prepa- 
rations were  going  on  for  the  cruel  deaths,  she 
managed  to  loose  his  bonds,  and  one  night  the 
two  fled  for  the  home  of  the  Cheyennes,  there 
to  become  husband  and  wife. 

"Wahla  did  not  learn  of  the  flight  of  his 
daughter  and  lover  until  the  next  morning, 
when  he  started  in  pursuit.  He  went  alone, 
for  his  rage  was  so  terrible  that  he  was  not 
willing  anyone  should  share  the  sweetness  of 
revenge  with  him.  He  traveled  fast,  and  drew 
nigh  enough  to  catch  sight  of  the  two  on  the 
second  day  following  their  flight.  He  did  not 
carry  his  bow,  but  had  his  knife  and  tomahawk, 
while  the  youth  possessed  no  weapon  at  all. 
Had  a  knife  been  his,  he  would  not  have  used  it 
against  Wahla,  because  he  was  the  father  of 
the  maiden  whom  he  loved  more  than  his  life. 

"When  the  two  found  they  could  not  flee 


208  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

faster  than  the  wrathful  chieftain,  they  paused 
and  waited  for  him  to  come  up.  Then  Mita 
threw  herself  at  the  feet  of  her  father  and 
prayed  him  to  spare  the  life  of  the  Cheyenne. 
The  chief  spurned  her  and  ran  after  the  young 
warrior.  The  youth  did  not  flee,  but  stood 
with  folded  arms,  calmly  awaiting  him. 

"  'Slay  me/  he  said,  'but  when  I  die  Mita 
will  die  with  me!' 

"Heedless  of  the  appeal,  the  furious  chief- 
tain plunged  his  knife  into  the  breast  of  the 
youth,  who  sank  to  the  earth  and  breathed  out 
his  life.  Wahla  turned  to  seize  his  daughter, 
but  at  that  moment  a  wild  shriek  rent  the  air, 
and  she  died,  clasping  his  knees  and  moaning 
that  he  had  slain  her  as  well  as  the  Cheyenne. 

"When  Wahla  saw  what  he  had  done,  he 
started  to  hurry  to  his  village,  but  his  mind 
had  gone  from  him.  You  were  told  that  he  had 
been  wounded  by  the  Cheyenne  in  battle.  The 
wound  was  in  the  thigh  of  the  chief,  and  it  now 
broke  out  afresh,  as  if  in  punishment  for  the 
crime  he  had  committed.  It  made  him  limp 
sorely,  but  he  would  not  stop,  and  ran  faster 
than  ever.  Because  of  his  halt  gait,  he  ran  in 
a  circle. 


THE  SPIRIT  CIRCLE.  209 

66  Bound  and  round  he  went  all  night,  when 
he  perished,  but  the  Great  Spirit  kept  him  run- 
ning throughout  the  days  and  weeks  that  fol- 
lowed until  he  became  a  shadow.  His  feet 
wore  a  circular  path,  which  may  be  seen 
to-day,  as  Mul-tal-la  has  looked  upon  it  many 
times  and  my  brothers  may  do  if  they  will 
journey  a  few  days  to  the  southward. 

"But  Mul-tal-la  now  tells  the  strangest  part 
of  this  story.  In  the  years  that  have  passed 
since  Wahla  slew  the  Cheyenne  lover,  and  his 
daughter  died  at  his  feet,  the  storms  would 
have  wiped  away  all  signs  of  the  path  long  ago. 
But  it  remains  as  distinct  as  ever.  This  is 
because  the  spirit  of  Wahla  tramps  it  round 
and  round  all  through  the  nights  when  the 
moon  does  not  shine,  for  no  one  can  see  him 
running  over  the  ground. 

"When  you  look  toward  the  slope  of  the 
mountain  you  can  see  the  circle  as  plain  as  we 
see  those  sticks  burning  in  the  middle  of  the 
lodge,  but  when  you  reach  the  spot  no  sign  of 
the  path  shows." 

"How  is  that?"  asked  the  wondering  Victor. 

"It  is  the  belief  that  the  spirit  of  Mita,  the 
daughter,  is  always  hovering  over  the  spot, 
and  that  her  heart  forever  grieves  for  her 

14 


2JO  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

father  and  lover.  When  she  sees  anyone  draw- 
ing near  the  place,  she  hurries  from  her  home, 
which  is  near  at  hand,  though  no  one  knows 
exactly  where,  and,  bending  over  the  ground, 
hurries  along  and  flirts  a  piece  of  her  garment 
over  the  whole  length  of  the  path  and  blots  it 
out,  so  that  grass  grows  where  a  few  minutes 
before  was  only  the  hard  earth,  packed  by  the 
moccasins  of  her  father." 

"What  brings  the  path  into  sight  again!" 
asked  George  Shelton. 

"When  night  comes,  Chief  Wahla  begins 
tramping  around  the  circle  once  more.  At 
sunrise  the  path  is  as  it  was  before,  and  so 
remains  unless  some  one  starts  forward  to 
gain  a  closer  look.  The  moment  he  does  so  the 
invisible  spirit  of  Mita,  daughter  of  Wahla, 
hurries  out  and  destroys  all  the  footprints,  so 
that  no  one  has  ever  been  near  enough  to  gain 
a  close  view  of  them,  nor  can  he  ever  do  so. 
Such  is  the  legend  of  the  Spirit  Circle."* 

*  On  the  gently  sloping  side  of  a  low  mountain  near  the 
Colorado- Wyoming  line  can  be  plainly  seen  a  circular  path  of 
about  two  hundred  feet  in  diameter.  The  road  connecting  the 
Rambler  copper  mines  with  Laramie  passes  within  ten  miles  of 
the  place.  When  the  curious  observer  climbs  to  the  spot,  whose 
path  shows  distinctly  from  a  distance,  he  cannot  detect  a  sign  of 
the  mystic  circle.  Various  theories  have  been  offered  in  expla- 
nation of  this  phenomenon,  but  as  yet  none  has  proved  satisfactory. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

THE  FIELD  OF  HONOR. 

DEERFOOT  did  not  interrupt  the  Black- 
foot  while  he  was  relating  the  legend  of 
the  Spirit  Circle.  He  listened  atten- 
tively. He  had  heard  many  such  myths  among 
his  own  people,  and  once  they  impressed 
him,  but  he  had  come  to  look  upon  them  as  idle 
tales  not  worth  a  thought.  Instead  of  com- 
menting upon  the  rude  beauty  of  the  story  that 
had  been  told  to  his  friend'  many  years  before, 
he  asked  the  practical  question: 

"What  has  the  Spirit  Circle  to  do  with  Deer- 
foot  and  Taggarak?" 

"It  is  the  law  among  the  Blackfeet  that 
when  our  war  chief  Taggarak  wills  to  punish 
some  great  criminal  he  sends  him  to  the  Spirit 
Circle,  where  he  must  walk  around  it  without 
food  or  drink  till  he  drops  down  and  dies. ' ? 

"Has  anyone  ever  done  that?"  asked  the 
Shawanoe. 

"Yes;  more  than  once.  Not  many  moons 
211 


2J2  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

ago  a  warrior  killed  his  father,  mother  and 
child  in  a  fit  of  rage.  The  only  punishment 
that  fitted  such  an  awful  crime  was  that  of  the 
Spirit  Circle.  Three  warriors  took  the  man 
there  and  started  him  round  the  path;  they 
took  turns  in  watching,  and  made  sure  that  he 
had  no  food  nor  water,  and  was  kept  moving 
till  he  could  move  no  longer.  He  fell  down,  and 
they  stood  near  until  he  breathed  his  last ;  then 
they  came  back  to  Taggarak  and  told  him  what 
had  been  done." 

"My  brother  has  not  yet  shown  what  his 
words  have  to  do  with  Deerfoot  and  Tagga- 
rak." 

"Let  my  brother  have  patience  and  he  shall 
know.  Deerfoot  remembers  the  rock  from 
whose  top  he  first  caught  sight  of  Mul-tal-la, 
whose  brother  was  coming  to  this  village, 
riding  on  Whirlwind?" 

As  he  spoke  the  Blackfoot  pointed  to  the 
east.  Deerfoot  nodded.  The  meeting  place 
was  a  half  mile  beyond  the  open  space  on 
which  the  athletic  contests  had  been  held  that 
day. 

"It  is  the  command  of  Taggarak  that  the 
Shawanoe  shall  meet  him  there  to-morrow, 


THE  FIELD  OF  HONOR.  2J3 

when  the  sun  climbs  the  mountain  tops.  He 
must  bring  only  his  hunting  knife  and  come 
alone;  the  chief  will  do  the  same.  When  they 
face  each  other,  Taggarak  will  give  the  Shawa- 
noe  the  choice  of  dying  by  his  hand  or  at  the 
Spirit  Circle/' 

"Did  Taggarak  say  that  to  my  brother? " 

1 1  That  is  his  command.  He  has  heard  that 
the  Shawanoe  is  making  squaws  of  his  war- 
riors; he  therefore  gives  him  his  choice  of 
deaths." 

Victor  Shelton  sprang  to  his  feet. 

"See  here,  Mul-tal-la,"  he  said,  excitedly? 
"do  you  tell  us  that  the  chief  Taggarak  makes 
the  condition  that  he  and  Deerfoot  are  each  to- 
use  only  his  knife  as  a  weapon?" 

The  Blackfoot  gravely  nodded  his  head. 

"And  that  neither  is  to  have  a  friend  with 
him?" 

"So  Taggarak  wills." 

"That  isn't  the  way  people  fight  duels. 
George  and  I  must  be  on  hand  when  Deerfoot 
gets  into  a  scrape  like  that." 

"But  it  cannot  be." 

"My  brothers  will  stay  here  till  Deerfoot 
comes  back  to  them,"  quietly  remarked  the 
Shawanoe. 


214  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

"But  how  are  we  to  know  that  Taggarak 
won't  play  some  trick  on  us?  He  may  have 
half  a  dozen  of  his  warriors  hiding  among  the 
bushes  or  rocks,  so  as  to  help  him  kill  Deer- 
foot." 

For  the  first  time  in- the  interview  Mul-tal-la 
smiled. 

"Taggarak  never  breaks  his  word.  He 
might  do  as  my  brothers  say  if  he  thought 
there  was  need  of  it.  He  doesn't  believe  the 
Shawanoe  will  be  more  than  a  child  in  his 
hands  when  the  two  stand  in  front  of  each 
other." 

"He  might  have  thought  that  yesterday,  or 
at  any  time  before  the  games  to-day,  but  after 
he  saw  Deerfoot  perform  he  must  have  some 
doubt." 

"Deerfoot  did  not  fight.  Taggarak  knows 
naught  of  his  skill  in  doing  that,  even  though 
he  has  been  told  he  killed  a  grizzly  bear  in  a 
fair  struggle.  He  would  feel  ashamed  if  he 
asked  for  any  help  against  the  Shawanoe." 

Deerfoot  calmly  rose  to  his  feet.  Those  who 
looked  up  at  him  noted  a  peculiar  flash  of  his 
dark  eyes  that  was  not  often  seen,  and,  when 
seen,  told  of  the  hidden  fires  he  was  holding  in 
subjection.  He  raised  his  hand  for  silence. 


THE  HELD  OF  HONOR.  2J5 

"Let  Deerfoot  speak.  He  knows  where  the 
rock  is  that  Taggarak  says  shall  be  the  meet- 
ing place  between  him  and  me.  His  command 
shall  be  obeyed.  Deerfoot  will  be  there,  with 
only  his  knife  to  defend  himself.  He  has  said 
he  does  not  fear  the  Blackfoot  chieftain.  Let 
my  brothers  speak  of  something  else." 

The  boys  and  even  Mul-tal-la  were  so  full  of 
the  theme  that  it  was  hard  for  them  to  talk  or 
think  of  anything  beside.  They  would  have 
questioned  the  Shawanoe  as  to  his  plans  and 
intentions,  but  he  would  not  permit.  The  hour 
was  growing  late,  and  the  Blackfoot  remained 
but  a  short  time,  when  he  bade  all  good-night 
and  passed  out  of  the  tepee. 

Eespecting  the  mood  of  Deerfoot,  neither 
Victor  nor  George  made  any  further  reference 
to  the  momentous  morrow.  They  disrobed  and 
stretched  out  on  their  soft  couches,  while  the 
Shawanoe,  taking  his  Bible  from  the  bosom  of 
his  hunting  shirt,  reclined  on  one  elbow — his 
favorite  attitude  at  such  times — so  that  the 
light  fell  on  the  printed  page.  He  read  in  his 
low,  musical  voice  until,  suspecting  the  truth, 
he  paused  and  looked  across  at  the  brothers. 
Both  were  asleep.  He  smiled,  read  awhile 


216  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

longer  to  himself  and  then  joined  them  in  the 
land  of  dreams,  sinking  into  slumber  as 
quickly  as  they,  and  within  the  ten  minutes  fol- 
lowing his  own  prayer. 

The  morning  dawned  dull,  chilly  and 
clouded,  with  threats  of  snow  in  the  air.  The 
Shawanoe  was  the  first  to  awake,  and  busied 
himself  in  his  usual  noiseless  fashion  with 
renewing  the  fire  and  preparing  the  morning 
meal  from  the  antelope  meat,  of  which  enough 
was  on  hand  to  last  for  several  meals.  The 
salt  and  pepper  brought  by  the  boys  from 
home  had  been  used  up  long  before,  and  they 
had  accustomed  themselves  to  get  on  without 
the  condiments  which  seem  so  much  of  a  neces- 
sity with  us. 

The  breakfast  was  eaten  with  the  usual 
deliberation,  none  of  the  three  speaking  of  the 
event  that  was  impending,  though  the  brothers 
were  full  of  it.  When  Deerf oot  arose,  drew  his 
knife  from  his  girdle,  carefully  inspected  it 
and  then  shoved  it  back  in  place  and  glanced 
across  the  room  to  where  his  rifle  was  leaning 
in  one  corner,  Victor  could  keep  silence  no 
longer. 

"You  know  what  faith  we  have  in  you,  Deer- 


THE  FIELD  OF  HONOR.  217 

foot,  but  we  are  anxious,  and  shall  be  in  dis- 
tress until  we  see  you  back  again. " 

"Why  are  my  brothers  troubled?"  calmly 
asked  the  Shawanoe. 

"We  can't  help  believing  Taggarak  will  use 
treachery,  for  he  must  know  he  isn't  certain  to 
win  when  he  attacks  you." 

"Nothing  can  make  him  believe  the  truth  till 
it  comes  to  him.  He  will  take  no  warriors  with 
him.  Deerfoot  is  in  no  danger.  Let  my 
brothers  smile  and  be  glad." 

"I  wish  I  could  grin,  but  it's  too  hard 
work,"  was  the  doleful  response  of  Victor,  the 
face  of  his  brother  showing  that  he  felt  the 
same. 

Deerfoot  warmly  shook  hands  with  each  in 
turn,  such  being  his  usual  custom,  stooped  and 
drew  the  flap  aside  and  passed  from  sight. 
Enough  of  the  Blackfeet  were  astir  to  notice 
him  moving  at  a  moderate  pace  past  the  lodges 
toward  the  clearing  at  the  rear  of  the  village. 
He  greeted  all  in  their  own  language,  and  did 
not  show  by  anything  in  his  manner  that  he  had 
any  important  matter  in  hand.  He  stealthily 
glanced  here  and  there,  on  the  lookout  for  Tag- 
garak, but  saw  nothing  of  him.  Perhaps  the 


2J8  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

chief  had  already  gone  to  the  scene  of  the  hos- 
tile meeting;  perhaps  he  had  not  yet  set  out, 
for  the  hour  was  early,  or,  what  was  more 
likely,  he  had  taken  another  route.  Of  one 
thing  Deerfoot  was  certain:  the  chief  had  told 
no  one  of  what  was  coming,  except  Mul-tal-la, 
who  bore  the  message  to  the  youth.  When  the 
two  combatants  should  meet,  no  human  eye 
must  witness  the  terrific  combat. 

The  sagacious  Shawanoe  had  decided  to  fol- 
low a  certain  line  that  may  impress  you  as 
singular  for  him  to  adopt.  It  seemed  like 
undue  confidence  when  he  declared  that  he  had 
no  fear  of  the  man  who  was  certainly  the  most 
fearful  fighter  of  the  whole  Blackfoot  tribe. 
Modest  as  he  was  by  nature,  Deerfoot  was  too 
intelligent  not  to  understand  his  decisive  supe- 
riority, as  compared  with  any  of  his  own  or  of 
the  white  race.  That  superiority  had  been 
proved  too  often  to  leave  any  doubt  in  his 
mind.  Moreover,  with  his  youth  and  high 
health,  he  was  aware  that  these  remarkable 
powers  were  not  declining,  but  rather  increas- 
ing, and  ought  to  increase  for  a  dozen  or  more 
years  to  come. 

The  American  Indian,  as    a    rule,  does  not 


THE  FIELD  OF  HONOR.  2J9 

show  excessive  muscular  development.  Arms 
and  legs  are  wanting  in  those  ridged  bunches  of 
sinew  which  often  bulge  out  all  over  our  ath- 
letes. And  yet  more  than  one  red  man  has  dis- 
played prodigious  strength.  Deerfoot  believed 
he  was  stronger  than  Taggarak,  despite  his 
own  light,  graceful  figure,  which  made  him  a 
dusky  Adonis. 

He  knew  that  possibly  he  was  mistaken  in 
this  respect,  but  there  could  be  no  doubt  on 
another  point:  he  was  much  quicker  of  move- 
ment than  the  iron-limbed  Taggarak.  The 
open  space  would  give  full  freedom  to  both, 
and  this  quickness  would  not  be  hampered  at 
all  during  the  fight  between  them.  Moreover, 
Deerfoot  was  an  unerring  judge  of  distance, 
and  knew  on  the  instant  when  to  dodge  and 
when  to  strike.  Therefore  he  feared  not,  but 
with  that  old  Adamic  strain  in  his  nature, 
really  yearned  for  the  battle. 

It  has  long  been  the  custom  of  Indians,  when 
facing  each  other  in  mortal  strife,  to  resort  to 
taunts  and  insults.  If  a  foe  can  be  driven  into 
anger,  while  his  tormentor  keeps  cool,  the  lat- 
ter has  the  victory  half  won.  Deerfoot  could 
not  stifle  a  feeling  of  resentment  over  the  con- 


220  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

temptuous  behavior  of  Taggarak  toward  him. 
Instead  of  contenting  himself  with  merely 
challenging  the  Shawanoe  to  mortal  combat, 
he  sent  him  word  that  all  that  was  left  for  him 
to  do  was  to  choose  between  two  methods  of 
shuffling  off  the  mortal  coil.  It  was  to  be  the 
Spirit  Circle  or  by  the  knife  of  the  Blackfoot. 
This  scornful  treatment  of  the  youth  angered 
him,  and  it  was  one  of  the  reasons  why-  he 
decided  to  adopt  a  policy  which  in  other  cir- 
cumstances he  would  have  considered  beneath 
a  true  warrior. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

(A  MEMORABLE  DUEL. 

DEEEFOOT  the  Shawanoe,  before  enter- 
ing the  elevated  wooded  portion  to  the 
east  of  the  bleak  plain  that  had  been 
the  scene  of  his  trinmphs  the  day  before, 
paused  and  carefully  scrutinized  all  that  lay 
within  his  field  of  vision.  He  was  not  alto- 
gether free  from  a  shadowy  suspicion  that 
Taggarak  would  resort  to  treachery,  though 
for  reasons  named  by  Mul-tal-la  it  was 
improbable.  Despite  the  care  the  youth  had 
used,  he  feared  that  rumors  of  the  coming 
fight  had  got  abroad,  and  some  of  the  curious 
might  brave  the  wrath  of  their  chief  for  the 
sake  of  viewing  the  combat.  That  which  Deer- 
foot  saw,  or  rather  failed  to  see,  convinced  him 
that  both  fears  were  unfounded. 

He  recalled  too  clearly  the  spot  named  by 
the  Blackfoot  to  make  any  mistake,  and  he 
went  directly  to  it.  A  few  rods  beyond  the 
rocks  where  Mul-tal-la  and  Deerfoot  had 

221 


222  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

caught  sight  of  each  other  after  their  long  sep- 
aration was  a  comparatively  clear  and  level 
space  that  covered  a  fourth  of  an  acre  or  less. 
A  glance  showed  it  to  be  an  ideal  spot  for  a 
meeting  such  as  was  at  hand. 

Deerfoot  looked  hastily  around  for  Tagga- 
'rak.  He  was  not  in  sight.  In  truth,  the 
Shawanoe  was  considerably  ahead  of  time,  and 
the  chief  was  not  a  moment  late  when,  after 
awhile,  he  strode  into  view  from  the  other  side 
of  the  arena. 

This  famous  chieftain  has  already  been 
described.  No  one  could  look  upon  him  with- 
out a  certain  admiration,  and  it  was  easy  to 
believe  the  many  stories  of  his  prowess.  He 
was  spare  of  frame,  nearly  six  feet  tall,  and  his 
mien  and  manner  showed  perfect  fearlessness. 
He  wore  no  head  dress,  his  abundant  hair,  in 
which  there  was  not  the  first  streaking  of  gray, 
falling  loosely  over  his  shoulders,  almost  to  his 
waist.  The  upper  part  of  his  body  was  encased 
in  a  shirt  of  deerskin,  and  the  buckskin 
breeches  were  fringed  down  the  legs.  Deer- 
foot  noticed  that  he  had  on  a  new  pair  of  moc- 
casins, stained  several  bright  colors.  He  must 
have  thought  the  occasion  warranted  some- 


A  MEMORABLE  DUEL.  223 

thing  in  the  nature  of  display.  There  was  no 
skirt  to  the  jacket-like  garment,  the  thighs 
being  inclosed  with  the  buckskin  which  formed 
the  leggings,  after  the  manner  of  the  modern 
style  of  trousers.  The  handle  of  his  knife — the 
weapon  that  many  a  time  had  done  frightful 
work — could  be  seen  protruding  from  the 
girdle  that  encircled  his  waist. 

With  a  dignified  step  the  chief  strode  for- 
ward until  within  a  dozen  paces  of  Deerfoot, 
when  he  paused  and  scowled  at  him. 

Following  his  policy  of  tantalism,  Deerfoot 
made  a  mock  bow  and  said : 

"Blackfoot,  the  Shawanoe  is  glad  to  see  you 
come  at  last.  But  why  does  the  Blackfoot  trem- 
ble when  he  finds  himself  in  front  of  a  warrior 
instead  of  a  squaw  who  knows  not  how  to 
fight?" 

The  chief  had  never  been  addressed  in  this 
audacious  fashion,  and  his  eyes  seemed  to  scin- 
tillate from  under  his  scowling  brows.  Could 
it  be  he  heard  aright! 

"When  the  Shawanoe  learned  that  the 
Blackfoot  who  calls  himself  chief  and  pretends 
to  be  a  brave  man  wished  to  meet  him  in  fight 
by  this  rock,  the  heart  of  the  Shawanoe  was 


224  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

glad  and  he  hurried  to  come;  but  the  Blackfoot 
is  backward.  He  hoped  the  Shawanoe  would 
not  come,  but  he  is  here  and  eager  to  fight 
him." 

And  to  show  the  truth  of  his  words,  Deerfoot 
drew  his  knife  from  his  girdle  and  grasped  it 
in  his  good  left  hand. 

Taggarak  now  found  his  voice.  There  was  a 
tremulousness  in  the  words,  but  it  was  due  to 
his  tumultuous  wrath  and  not  to  fear. 

"Dog  of  a  Shawanoe!  Do  you  choose  to  die 
by  the  hand  of  Taggarak,  or  shall  he  send  you 
to  the  Spirit  Circle  I  Let  him  choose ! ' ' 

' '  Squaw  of  a  Blackfoot !  It  shall  be  neither. 
The  Shawanoe  cares  naught  for  the  Spirit  Cir- 
cle, and  will  not  go  there.  He  has  no  fear  of 
the  Blackfoot  who  knows  how  to  fight  women 
but  trembles  when  he  stands  before  the  Shawa- 
noe! Has  the  Blackfoot  brought  some  of  his 
warriors  to  save  him  from  the  anger  of  the 
Shawanoe  1 9 ' 

And  Deerfoot  glanced  around,  as  if  looking 
for  the  help  which  he  knew  was  not  near.  He 
did  not  see  it,  but  he  saw  something  else,  which 
caused  him  almost  as  much  displeasure.  As  he 
turned  toward  a  large  boulder,  half  hidden 


A  MEMORABLE  DUEL.  225 

by  bushes,  the  upper  part  of  a  head  dropped 
down  out  of  sight.  Seen  only  for  an  instant, 
the  Shawanoe  recognized  the  owner  as  Victor 
Shelton,  and  knew  his  brother  was  with  him. 
Despite  Deerfoot's  orders  the  boys  had  man- 
aged to  steal  their  way  from  place  to  place  and 
were  spectators  of  this  meeting.  It  was  too 
late  now  to  correct  the  wrong,  and  he  acted  as 
if  he  knew  it  not.  All  the  same,  he  resolved  to 
"discipline"  the  youths  for  disregarding  his 
orders. 

In  this  game  of  abuse  the  chief  was  no  match 
for  the  Shawanoe,  who  saw  that  the  tem- 
pestuous rage  of  Taggarak  threatened  to  mas- 
ter him.  Accustomed  throughout  his  life  to  be 
feared  and  obeyed,  it  was  unbearable  thus  to 
be  flouted  to  his  face  by  a  stripling,  whom  he 
felt  able  to  crush  like  a  bird's  egg.  He  drew 
his  knife,  whose  blade  was  several  inches 
longer  than  the  weapon  of  the  Shawanoe. 

With  the  weapon  clinched  as  if  in  a  vise,  the 
chief  thrust  his  left  foot  forward  for  a  single 
pace,  but  did  not  advance  farther.  He  was 
debating  with  himself  how  best  to  dispose  of 
this  intolerable  youth.  A  quick  death  would  bb 
too  merciful;  he  would  first  wound  and  then 
prolong  his  suffering  for  an  hour  or  more. 


226  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

"The  trembling  Blackfoot  fears  to  come  to 
the  Shawanoe,  so  the  Shawanoe  will  go  to 
him." 

These  words  were  accompanied  with  an 
exquisite  sneer,  and  Deerfoot  advanced  three 
paces,  taking  care  to  stop  before  he  was  within 
reach  of  the  enraged  chief. 

"Does  the  Shawanoe  think  the  God  he  wor- 
ships can  save  him  from  the  vengeance  of  Tag- 
garak,  who  spurns  that  God?" 

The  reply  was  a  noble  one.  Dropping  his 
insulting  tones  and  manner,  Deerfoot  said : 

"The  Shawanoe  knows  not  whether  the  God 
he  worships  will  save  him;  he  never  cares  nor 
thinks  of  that.  He  knows  that  whatever  his 
Father  chooses  to  do  is  right,  and  if  He  does 
not  wish  to  take  care  of  the  Shawanoe,  it  is 
right.  He  will  go  to  heaven,  the  abode  of  those 
who  obey  God,  when  he  is  called.  He  will  be 
ready,  whether  he  hears  that  call  in  the  gloom 
of  the  woods  at  midnight  or  on  the  plain  when 
the  sun  is  high  in  the  sky. 

"The  Blackfoot  worships  false  gods.  Let 
him  learn  whether  they  will  help  him  when  he 
stands  in  front  of  the  Shawanoe." 

The  self-confidence  of  the  chief  was  absolute. 


A  MEMORABLE  DUEL.  227 

Wearied  of  listening  to  the  taunts  of  the  dusky 
Apollo,  he  strode  toward  him,  raising  his  right 
hand  as  he  did  so,  feinted  once  and  then 
brought  down  the  weapon  with  a  vicious  vigor 
that  was  meant  to  bury  the  point  in  the  shoul- 
der of  Deerfoot. 

The  blade,  however,  swished  through  air, 
and  the  youth  smote  the  chief  squarely  in  the 
mouth  with  the  back  of  his  fist.  He  could  have 
used  his  knife,  but  he  chose  to  play  awhile  with 
this  boaster.  He  delivered  his  blow  so  quickly 
that  the  Blackfoot,  accustomed  as  he  was  to 
fierce  hand-to-hand  fighting,  had  no  time  to 
dodge  or  parry,  and  the  next  instant  the 
Shawanoe  was  ten  feet  away,  weapon  still 
grasped,  and  grinning  at  the  slightly  dazed 
chief. 

"Why  does  not  the  Blackfoot  squaw  strike 
the  Shawanoe?  The  Shawanoe  has  struck 
Mm.  Cannot  the  Blackfoot  see  where  to  strike 
with  his  knife?  He  is  as  slow  as  an  aged 
woman,  but  he  fears  the  Shawanoe,  who  is  his 
master." 

Taggarak  could  not  believe  his  failure  was 
anything  more  than  one  of  those  accidents  to 
which  the  most  skilful  fighter  is  sometimes  lia- 


228  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

ble.  His  weapon  was  still  firm  in  his  hand, 
and  he  moved  forward  again,  taking  shorter 
and  more  stealthy  steps.  He  crouched  as  if 
gathering  his  muscles  for  a  leap,  while  the 
Shawanoe  contemptuously  watched  him,  alert 
and  observant  as  a  cat. 

Six  feet  away  the  chief  halted.  Deerfoot  did 
not  stir.  Taggarak  had  learned  of  the  light- 
ning-like quickness  of  the  youth,  but  felt  none 
the  less  certain  of  speedily  overcoming  him. 

For  a  full  minute  the  two  glared  at  each 
other,  neither  speaking,  but  the  same  aggra- 
vating, scornful  smile  was  on  the  face  of  the 
young  Shawanoe.  Suddenly  he  did  an  astound- 
ing thing.  He  tossed  his  knife  several  feet  up 
in  the  air,  caught  it  by  the  handle  as  it  came 
down  and  then  flung  it  a  couple  of  rods  to  one 
side. 

"The  Shawanoe  needs  no  weapon  to  conquer 
the  Blackfoot  squaw!" 

Then  Deerfoot  voluntarily  placed  himself  in 
front  of  the  furious  warrior,  without  any 
weapon  with  which  to  defend  himself.  Not 
only  that,  he  folded  his  arms  over  his  breast 
and  with  biting  irony  added : 

"Now    let    the    Blackfoot    think    he    has    a 


A  MEMORABLE  DUEL.  22* 

squaw  in  front  of  him ;  then  he  will  strike  hard, 
if  his  hand  does  not  tremble." 

It  was  more  than  flesh  and  blood  could  stand. 
The  passion  within  the  breast  of  the  chief 
broke  into  a  volcano-like  flame.  With  a  hissing 
gasp  he  sprang  forward,  striking  swiftly  with 
his  knife,  first  downward,  then  upward  and 
then  from  side  to  side,  as  if  he  meant  to  cut  the 
execrated  youth  into  ribbons.  He  repeated  the 
wild  blows  with  a  celerity  that  almost  pre- 
vented the  eye  from  following  the  movements. 

But,  as  before,  he  split  only  vacancy.  Deer- 
foot  easily  eluded  the  strokes,  which  were 
blinder  than  usual,  for  Taggarak  was  beside 
himself  with  passion.  In  the  midst  of  his  aim- 
less outburst  the  Shawanoe  did  another  thing 
which  was  worthy  of  a  skilled  pugilist.  Wait- 
ing for  an  opening,  he  shot  his  left  hand  for- 
ward, and,  with  the  open  palm,  landed  a  stun- 
ning blow  on  the  bridge  of  the  chief's  nose. 
The  advantage  of  such  a  blow  is  that,  when 
rightly  delivered,  tears  are  forced  into  the  eyes 
of  the  one  receiving  it,  who,  for  a  minute  or 
two,  is  partially  blinded.  You  can  understand 
his  fatal  position.  He  cannot  pause  to  clear 
his  vision,  for  it  comes  at  the  crisis  of  the 


230  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

fight,  and  an  instant  halting  means  ignomini- 
ous defeat,  while  to  persevere,  when  he  has 
only  the  partial  use  of  his  sight,  makes  his 
disadvantage  hardly  the  less. 

While  the  chief  was  savagely  blinking,  in 
order  to  enable  him  to  see,  the  crowning  taunt 
of  all  sounded  in  his  ears : 

"The  Blackfoot  cries  like  a  pappoose.  Does 
he  wish  to  tread  the  Spirit  Circle!  Does  he 
beg  the  Shawanoe  to  be  merciful  to  him?  If  he 
whines  for  pity,  let  him  sink  on  his  knees  and 
the  Shawanoe  will  listen  to  his  crying/' 

Chief  Taggarak  now  lost  the  last  shred  of 
self-control.  With  a  growl  of  crazy  rage  he 
bounded  forward  again,  striking  up  and  down 
and  right  and  left  with  a  blind,  venomous 
energy  that  would  have  exhausted  a  giant. 

Suddenly 'the  wrist  which  held  the  whistling 
blade  was  seized  in  the  steel-like  fingers  of 
Deerfoot's  left  hand.  The  grip  was  fearful, 
for  the  Shawanoe  had  now  called  upon  his  last 
reserve  of  strength,  and  the  wrist  was  as  if 
encased  in  a  coil  of  iron.  Then,  with  a  peculiar 
twist  of  his  hand,  known  only  to  himself,  and 
resembling  that  remarkable  system  known 
under  the  name  of  jiu  jitsu  among  the  Japa- 


A  MEMORABLE  DUEL.  231 

nese,  who  are  the  only  ones  that  understand  it 
in  all  its  frightful  perfection,  he  bent  the  hand 
of  the  chief  remorselessly  over  and  backward, 
until  the  palm  gaped  like  the  mouth  of  a  dying 
fish  and  the  knife  dropped  to  the  ground. 

Deerfoot  now  had  both  wrists  imprisoned. 
Taggarak  gasped  and  panted  and  writhed,  but 
could  not  twist  himself  loose.  In  the  trial  of 
strength  the  Shawanoe  proved  himself  the 
superior.  Great  drops  gathered  on  the  fore- 
head of  the  Blackfoot.  His  grin  displayed 
every  molar  in  his  head,  and  the  mouth, 
stretched  to  double  its  usual  extent,  had  that 
horrible  appearance  when  the  space  between 
the  lips  at  the  corners  is  the  same  as  in  front 
and  the  expression  is  that  of  a  raging  wild 
beast. 

Thus  the  two  stood,  their  arms  sawing  up 
and  down  and  from  one  side  to  another,  with- 
out the  Blackfoot  being  able  to  loosen  the  mer- 
ciless grip.  He  was  panting,  but  no  one  could 
have  detected  any  quickening  of  the  respira- 
tion of  the  Shawanoe.  His  mouth  was  set  and 
the  light  of  battle  flashed  in  his  eyes.  He  did 
not  speak  or  yield  a  point.  The  crisis  had 
come  and  he  knew  he  was  the  victor,  just  as  he 
knew  he  would  be  from  the  first. 


232  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

The  Blackfoot  swayed  and  his  moccasins 
^slid  here  and  there  over  the  ground  from  the 
contortion  of  limbs  and  body.  Then  he  began 
pushing  with  might  and  main.  His  eyes  were 
beginning  to  clear,  but  the  perspiration  dripped 
from  the  twisted  coppery  features.  Bead- 
ing his  purpose,  Deerfoot  began  pushing  also. 
Neither  yielded  for  a  minute  or  two,  and  then 
the  chief  was  slowly  forced  backward.  There 
was  no  withstanding  the  tremendous  power  of 
the  youth,  who  strove  to  the  last  ounce  of  his 
matchless  strength. 

Taggarak  recoiled  a  step,  then  another,  then 
began  walking  backward,  and  the  next  minute 
the  walk  became  a  trot  on  the  part  of  both,  the 
chief  retreating  and  the  Shawanoe  forcing  him 
faster  and  faster,  though  he  struggled  and 
resisted  with  the  same  panting  desperation  as 
at  first. 

He  was  still  trotting  backward  with  short, 
increasing  steps  when  Deerfoot,  never  relax- 
ing his  grasp  on  the  writhing  wrists,  thrust 
one  heel  behind  his  enemy,  who  tripped  and 
went  over.  To  insure  due  emphasis  in  the  fall, 
Deerfoot  made  a  leap  as  he  was  going  and 
landed  with  both  knees  on  the  breast  of  the 


A  MEMORABLE  DUEL.  233 

Blackfoot,  who  dropped  with  a  thump  that 
forced  a  gasp  from  his  body  and  literally  shook 
the  earth. 

George  and  Victor  Shelton,  in  their  excite- 
ment, sprang  up  from  behind  the  rock  that  hid 
them.  When  Taggarak  went  over  on  his  back, 
with  Deerfoot  bearing  him  down,  Victor  could 
restrain  himself  no  longer.  Snatching  his  cap 
from  his  head  he  swung  it  aloft,  and  had 
opened  his  mouth  to  cheer  when  the  slightly 
less  excited  brother  clapped  his  hand  over  his 
lips. 

"What  do  you  mean,  you  idiot 1" 

"I  want  to  cheer  for  Deerfoot!  If  I  don't 
I'll  bust! 

"You  will  get  all  the  busting  you  want  from 
him  if  he  finds  out  we  came  here,  after  he  told 
us  to  stay  at  home." 

"By  gracious!  That's  so;  I  forgot  it.  I'm 
glad  you  stopped  me;  we  must  keep  mum. 
Look!" 


CHAPTER  XVIH. 

DISCIPLINE  IN  THE  RANKS. 

THE  force  of  the  impact  and  the  crushing 
weight  of  the  Shawanoe's  body 
knocked  Taggarak  senseless  for  the 
moment.  He  lay  panting,  with  eyes  half  closed 
and  his  countenance  glistening  with  moisture. 

Deerfoot,  without  removing  his  knees, 
watched  the  eyes  until  they  slowly  opened  and 
glared  upward  with  a  dazed  expression.  The 
youth  had  removed  his  fingers  from  the  wrist 
of  the  chief.  He  now  bent  his  face  close  to  his 
and  asked: 

"Who  now  is  master — the  Blackfoot  or  the 
Shawanoe?  Whose  God  is  the  greater — Tag- 
garak 's  or  Deerfoot  'sf " 

But  the  chieftain  was  game.  He  had  put  up 
a  hurricane  fight  and  had  been  conquered— 
conquered  by  a  youth  who  carried  no  weapon 
in  his  hand,  and  who  could  have  driven  out  his 
life  at  any  moment  during  the  progress  of  the 
battle.  Instead  of  slaying  his  victim,  the 

234 


DISCIPLINE  IN  THE  RANKS.  235 

Shawanoe  had  put  one  indignity  after  another 
upon  him. 

"Let  the  Shawanoe  take  his  knife  and  kill 
Taggarak !  He  does  not  wish  to  live ! ' ' 

"So  Taggarak  would  do  with  the  Shawanoe, 
but  so  does  not  the  Shawanoe,  for  he  is  a  Chris- 
tian," replied  Deerfoot,  rising  from  the  pros- 
trate body  and  stepping  back  for  a  couple  of 
paces. 

The  Blackfoot  was  still  bewildered.  He  lay 
motionless  for  a  few  seconds,  staring  at  the 
youth  looking  serenely  down  upon  him.  The 
chief  had  been  conquered,  absolutely,  crush- 
ingly  and  to  the  last  degree  humiliatingly ;  for, 
most  amazing  thing  of  all,  his  conqueror  had 
refused  to  take  his  life,  knowing  that  it  would 
have  been  the  other  way  had  the  Shawanoe 
suffered  defeat. 

And  he  who  showed  this  unheard-of  mercy 
professed  to  be  a  Christian!  What  a  strange 
religion  to  make  a  warrior  act  in  that  manner ! 

Slowly  the  iron-limbed  chieftain  climbed  to 
his  feet.  He  was  not  looking  at  the  Shawanoe, 
who  had  folded  his  arms  and  was  calmly 
watching  him.  Taggarak  stood  upright> 
turned  his  face  away,  took  three  steps  and 


236  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

then  paused.  His  head  flirted  about  like  a 
bird's  and  he  fixed  his  burning  eyes  upon  the 
dusky  youth,  still  posed  like  a  statue,  with 
arms  folded  and  on  the  alert  for  any  treachery. 

The  Blackfoot  gazed  steadily  into  the  eyes 
that  met  his  own  without  flinching.  He  did  not 
speak,  but,  looking  away  again,  strode  sol- 
emnly across  the  open  space,  not  pausing  to 
pick  up  his  weapon,  and  disappeared  in  the 
rocky  wood. 

Deerfoot  remained  motionless  for  several 
moments,  gazing  at  the  point  where  the  other 
had  passed  from  sight.  Then  he  reverently 
turned  his  eyes  upward  and  murmured : 

"I  thank  Thee,  my  Heavenly  Father.  Thou 
art  kinder  to  Deerfoot  than  he  deserves/' 

His  next  act  was  most  peculiar.  He  paid  no 
heed  to  the  knife  of  Taggarak,  but  picked  up 
his  own.  It  had  a  keen  edge,  and  instead  of 
thrusting  the  weapon  into  his  girdle  he  walked 
to  the  nearest  undergrowth  and  began  cutting 
a  stick  several  feet  in  length  and  of  nearly  an 
inch's  thickness  at  the  butt. 

About  this  time  George  and  Victor  Shelton, 
from  their  hiding  place,  where  they  had 
stealthily  watched  everything,  began  to  feel 
disturbed  in  mind. 


DISCIPLINE  IN  THE  RANKS.  ,237 

"What  do  you  suppose  he  is  doing  that 
for?"  whispered  Victor,  peeping  around  the 
corner  of  the  rock. 

"I'm  blessed  if  I  know.  He  is  trimming  off 
the  twigs,  so  as  to  make  the  stick  smooth." 

"Do  you  suppose  he  saw  us?" 

"He  couldn't.  He  has  mighty  sharp  eyes, 
but  he  had  no  chance  to  look  anywhere  except 
in  the  face  of  Taggarak,  and  we  haven't  shown 
ourselves  since  he  left." 

"It's  a  queer  performance  anyway,  and  I 
don't  feel—" 

"Sh!    He's  looking  this  way." 

The  next  moment  both  boys  shivered,  for, 
facing  the  rock  which  until  then  they  were  cer- 
tain had  hid  them  from  view,  the  Shawanoe 
called : 

"Let  my  brothers  come  here.  Deerfoot 
wishes  to  speak  to  them." 

"He  saw  us  after  all!"  gasped  Victor. 
"Let's  run!" 

"What  good  will  that  do?  There's  no  get- 
ting away  from  mm." 

"He  looks  savage,  George;  he  means  busi- 
ness. Can't  we  combine  and  lick  him  if  he  tries 
to  play  smart  with  us?" 


238  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

'  '  If  we  could  get  Mul-tal-la  and  three  or  four 
other  Blackfeet  we  might  have  a  show;  but  it 
would  take  more  than  you  and  me  to  down  him. 
Come,  it  won't  do  to  wait  any  longer." 

The  brothers  were  pretty  well  convinced  of 
what  was  coming  and  were  scared.  To  Victor 
only  one  possible  escape  presented  itself — that 
was  to  conciliate  the  Shawanoe.  The  lad  made 
a  brave  attempt  to  do  so. 

Coming  out  from  behind  the  rock,  he  strode 
rapidly  down  the  gentle  slope,  as  if  he  had  just 
recognized  the  youth.  Victor's  face  was  aglow, 
and  he  certainly  meant  all  he  said : 

"I  tell  you,  Deerfoot,  that  was  the  greatest 
victory  you  ever  won!  I  don't  believe  the  man 
ever  lived  that  downed  Taggarak,  and  yet  you 
did  it  without  any  weapon.  People  won't 
believe  the  story,  but  you  can  refer  them  to  us. 
Ain't  it  lucky,  now,  that  we  happened  to  be 
where  we  could  see  you  lay  out  that  boasting 
chief?" 

George  caught  at  the  straw  thus  held  out  by 
his  brother. 

"I  tell  you  that's  so,  Deerfoot.  The  news  of 
this  fight  is  bound  to  get  out  sooner  or  later. 
Some  who  don't  know  you  won't  believe  any- 


DISCIPLINE  IN  THE  RANKS.  239 

thing  of  the  kind,  till  we  tell  them  we  saw  the 
whole  business  and  it  was  just  as  you  say. 
Ain't  you  glad,  Deerfoot,  we  happened  by 
chance  to  be  where  we  could  see  it  all?" 

The  Shawanoe  had  thrust  his  knife  into  his 
girdle  and  held  the  switch  firmly  by  its 
larger  end.  He  looked  gravely  into  the  face  of 
each  lad  while  he  was  speaking.  When  they 
ceased  he  had  something  to  say : 

"When  Deerfoot  and  his  brothers  left 
Woodvale  was  it  not  said  that  the  Shawanoe 
should  rule  and  guide  them?" 

" There  can't  be  any  question  of  ihat"  Vic- 
tor promptly  replied. 

"And  my  brothers  promised  to  obey  him  in 
all  things?" 

"It  seems  to  me  I  remember  something  of 
that  kind." 

"Has  Deerfoot  been  a  hard  master?" 

"We  couldn't  have  had  a  kinder  one.  I  tell 
you,  Deerfoot,  you  know  more  in  five  minutes 
than  George  and  I  know  in  a  month,  or  ever 
will  know.  We  couldn't  get  along  without  you. 
We  have  been  pretty  obedient,  as  a  rule, 
haven't  we?" 

"Was  not  the  agreement  between  TaggaraK 


240  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

and  Deerfoot  that  no  person  should  look  upon 
the  fight  between  them?" 

"Yes;  but  I  don't  believe  Taggarak  kept  his 
promise." 

Deerfoot  flashed  a  look  of  inquiry  at  Victor. 

"What  does  my  brother  mean  by  his  words! 
Did  he  see  any  other  Blackfoot  near?" 

"Well,  not  exactly;  but  there  were  marks  in 
the  bushes  which  looked  as  if  made  by  moc- 
casins. I  shouldn't  wonder  if  some  were  hid- 
ing there  and  ran  away  when  they  saw  us 
coming  and  knew  we  meant  to  see  you  had  fair 
play." 

The  appeal  was  wasted.  Deerfoot  took  his 
station  between  the  brothers,  moving  them 
apart  so  they  were  separated  by  a  space  of  five 
or  six  feet.  He  then  deliberately,  vigorously 
and  impartially  laid  the  switch  over  the  shoul- 
ders of  George  and  Victor.  You  would  not 
suspect  the  vim  with  which  this  disciplining 
was  carried  out.  Only  the  brothers  themselves 
could  testify  feelingly  as  to  that. 

And  the  boys  had  to  "grin  and  bear  it,"  for 
there  was  no  escape  for  them.  It  was  useless 
to  run,  and  had  they  tried  it  they  would  have 
been  punished  more  severely.  They  were  too 


DISCIPLINE  IN  THE  RANKS.  24  J 

proud  to  complain.  The  quicker-tempered  Vic- 
tor wanted  to  revolt  and  attack  the  Shawanoe, 
but  he  knew  George  would  not  join  him,  for 
such  rebellion  would  have  been  disastrous  to 
them.  They  had  tested  the  ability  of  Deerfoot 
in  that  line  too  often  to  doubt  his  superiority. 
Had  the  shadow  of  a  doubt  lingered,  the  scene 
they  had  witnessed  a  few  minutes  before  would 
have  dispelled  it. 

The  rod  descended  first  upon  the  shoulders 
of  Victor,  then  upon  those  of  George,  and  there 
was  no  difference  in  the  force  of  the  blows.  Oh, 
how  they  stung!  Each  boy  wanted  to  scratch 
the  smarting  parts,  but  grimly  stood  it  out. 
Finally  Victor  ventured  to  say: 

"When  you  are  tired,  Deerfoot,  you  have 
our  permission  to  stop." 

"Tired!  He  won't  get  tired  in  a  week.  Our 
only  hope  is  that  he  will  use  up  all  the  switches 
in  the  country. " 

And  the  Shawanoe  kept  at  it  till  the  rod 
broke  in  the  middle  and  only  the  stump  was 
left  in  his  hand.  He  flung  that  aside,  and,  with- 
out speaking,  turned  and  walked  toward  the 
village.  As  soon  as  his  face  was  turned  the 
boys  devoted  their  efforts  to  rubbing  and 
scratching  their  arms,  shoulders  and  backs. 


242  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

"How  many  times  do  you  think  he  struck 
us?"  ruefully  asked  George. 

"I  guess  about  four  thousand;  but  I  forgot 
to  count. " 

"He  started  in  with  you  and  ended  with  me, 
so  we  both  got  the  same.  Gracious  alive,  but 
he  knows  his  business ! ' ' 

"Anyhow,  what  we  saw  was  worth  all  we 
had  to  pay.  I  didn't  think  he  would  do  any- 
thing of  the  kind,  did  you?" 

"No;  I  thought  we  might  keep  our  visit  a 
secret,  but  not  many  things  escape  his  eye.  I 
suppose  after  all  he  was  right." 

"Wait  till  these  smarts  let  up  a  little  before 
you  ask  me  to  say  that,"  replied  Victor,  still 
rubbing  and  fidgeting  about.  "Can't  you  think 
of  some  way  of  getting  even  with  him?" 

"I  wish  I  could,  but  the  worst  thing  anyone 
can  do  is  to  tackle  Deerfoot.  We  must  try  to 
believe  we  were  lucky  in  getting  off  as  lightly 
as  we  did." 

' '  Lightly ! ' '  sniffed  Victor.  '  <  I  should  like  to 
know  what  you  call  heavy  if  that  is  light." 

"And  he  is  still  mad  at  us.  He  went  off 
without  speaking,  and  it  may  be  days  before  he 
gets  over  his  anger. " 


DISCIPLINE  IN  THE  RANKS.  243 

By^  and  bye  the  smarts  so  subsided  that  the 
boys  felt  comparatively  comfortable.  As  they 
picked  their  way  homeward  their  resentment 
cooled,  and  they  were  able  to  see  things  in  their 
proper  light.  They  profoundly  loved  and 
admired  the  young  Shawanoe,  and  required  no 
one  to  remind  them  of  his  affection  for  them. 
The  punishment  he  had  administered  was  like 
that  of  a  father  to  a  wayward  child.  More- 
over, it  was  well  deserved,  and  they  were  will- 
ing to  confess  the  fact  before  they  reached 
their  tepee. 

1  i  There 's  no  getting  out  of  it, ' '  said  the  more 
impulsive  Victor.  "He  forbade  us  to  follow 
him,  and  it  was  breaking  the  agreement 
between  him  and  Taggarak.  The  only  thing 
for  us  to  do  when  we  meet  him  again  is  to  say 
we  are  sorry  and  ask  his  forgiveness.  I'm 
ready  to  do  so.  Are  you,  George  ?" 

"Why  didn't  we  try  that  on  him  before  he 
gave  us  the  whipping?" 

"It  wouldn't  have  worked.  When  I  saw  him 
cutting  and  trimming  that  switch  I  knew  what 
was  coming,  and  there  was  no  way  for  us  to 
dodge  it." 

"It  seems  pretty  hard,  after  a  fellow  has 


244  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

had  his  life  almost  whaled  out  of  him,  to  say  he 
is  sorry.  It  seems  to  me  it's  the  other  chap 
who  ought  to  feel  sorry." 

"No,  we  were  in  the  wrong  and  must  apolo- 
gize. You  know  how  tender-hearted  Deerfoot 
is.  I  believe  he  felt  pity  for  Taggarak,  even 
though  he  knew  the  chief  meant  to  kill  him. 
The  Blackfoot  isn't  the  first  enemy  Deerfoot 
has  had  at  his  mercy  and  then  spared  him." 

When  the  boys  reached  their  lodge,  after 
meeting  and  greeting  a  number  of  their  dusky 
friends,  they  were  disappointed  not  to  find 
Deerfoot  there.  He  did  not  come  in  until  late 
in  the  afternoon.  He  raised  the  robe  at  the 
door,  glanced  at  the  brothers,  but  kept  his  lips 
closed.  Victor  walked  up  to  him  without  a 
moment 's  hesitation  and  extended  his  hand : 

"Deerfoot,  you  served  us  right.  We  are 
both  sorry.  Will  you  forgive  us?" 

The  two  saw  the  moisture  creep  into  the 
handsome  dark  eyes  and  noted  the  tremor  of 
the  Shawanoe's  voice  as  he  took  each  hand  in 
turn  and  said: 

"Yes,  Deerfoot  forgives  you.  We  are 
brothers  again. " 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

/'BEHOLD  HE  PRAYETH." 

MUL-TAL-LA  the  Blackfoot  obeyed  the 
command  of  Taggarak,  his  chief.  But 
though  he  kept  away  from  the  meeting 
place  of  the  duelists,  he  hovered  not  far  off,  in 
order  to  learn  at  the  earliest  possible  moment 
the  result  of  the  most  important  personal 
encounter  that  had  ever  taken  place  in  the  his- 
tory of  the  Blackfoot  nation.  Because  of  the 
circuitous  course  taken  by  George  and  Victor 
Shelton,  Mul-tal-la  saw  nothing  of  them  and 
never  learned  of  the  humorous  appendix  to  the 
tragedy. 

The  sight  of  the  Shawanoe  returning  told 
who  was  victor,  and  a  few  brief  words  between 
the  two,  as  they  met,  made  known  that  he  had 
spared  the  life  of  the  chief,  who  slunk  silently 
off  in  the  solitude,  no  one  but  himself  knew 
whither.  It  was  this  flight  that  was  on  the 
mind  of  Deerfoot  and  Mul-tal-la,  for  each  felt 

245 


24*  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

that  momentous  consequences  were  to  flow 
therefrom. 

The  four  friends  were  once  more  gathered  in 
the  home  of  the  guests  of  the  Blackfoot  tribe. 
Each  knew  a  crisis  was  at  hand  that  might 
compel  them,  on  the  edge  of  the  severe  northern 
winter,  to  depart  for  other  quarters,  and  the 
flight,  perhaps,  would  become  impossible 
because  of  the  ferocious  rage  of  the  humiliated 
chieftain. 

The  Shelton  brothers  acted  the  part  of  list- 
eners, sensibly  feeling  that  they  could  con- 
tribute nothing  to  the  discussion  between  Mul- 
tal-la  and  Deerfoot;  but  no  speakers  could 
have  asked  for  more  deeply  interested  auditors 
than  they. 

"Taggarak  has  not  come  back,"  said  the 
Blackfoot.  "Mul-tal-la  stopped  at  his  lodge, 
and  his  squaw  said  she  had  seen  naught  of  him 
since  this  morning. " 

"She  does  not  know  what  took  place  I"  was 
the  inquiring  remark  of  Deerfoot. 

"She  could  not,  for  he  kept  his  word  and 
told  no  one  before,  and,"  grimly  added  the 
Blackfoot,  "he  would  not  tell  anyone  after- 
ward." 


"BEHOLD  HE  PRAYETH."  247 

"What  does  she  think  1" 

"That  he  has  gone  to  one  of  the  other  vil- 
lages. Taggarak  is  a  silent  man,  and  he  some- 
times departs  in  the  middle  of  the  night,  with- 
out saying  a  word  to  anyone.  He  may  be  gone 
for  weeks,  and  no  one  here  will  know  anything 
of  it  until  he  returns." 

"What  does  Mul-tal-la  think?" 

"He  knows  not  what  to  think.  If  Taggarak 
is  not  here  to-morrow,  then  he  will  believe  the 
chief  is  visiting  his  other  warriors." 

"Does  he  not  summon  his  other  chiefs  to 
come  to  him?" 

"Often;  they  meet  at  the  Big  Lodge.  They 
talk  together,  when  they  are  making  ready  to 
go  on  raids  among  other  tribes,  and  Taggarak 
gives  them  his  commands;  but  he  likes  to 
appear  in  their  villages  when  they  do  not  look 
for  his  coming.  What  does  my  brother  believe 
the  chief  will  do  when  he  comes  back?" 

The  Shawanoe  waited  for  a  minute  or  two 
before  replying: 

6  '  There  is  a  mist  in  the  eyes  of  Deerf  oot  and 
he  cannot  see  clearly.  Taggarak  is  brave  but 
cruel.  He  will  not  rest  under  his  overthrow. 
Deerf  oot  thinks  they  will  have  to  fight  again." 


248  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

"And  will  Deerfoot  spare  him  once  more!" 

"He  cannot  answer.  He  will  do  as  God  tells 
him  to  do." 

Victor  Shelton  felt  that  this  was  a  good  time 
for  him  to  add  to  the  discussion. 

"Mul-tal-la,  do  you  think  it  is  possible  Tagga- 
rak  wants  to  fight  Deerfoot,  after  he  has  been 
beaten  by  him.  Why  should  he  want  to  try  it 
again?" 

"Because  he  has  hope  of  winning  the  fight." 

"He  can't  have  any  such  hope.  Why,  Deer- 
foot  whipped  him  without  a  weapon  in  his 
hand,  while  Taggarak  had  his  big,  ugly  knife 
most  of  the  time." 

Mul-tal-la  had  not  heard  anything  of  this, 
and  he  looked  inquiringly  at  Deerfoot  and  then 
at  the  boy  who  had  made  the  amazing  state- 
ment. Victor  flushed  and  stammeringly  added: 

"That  is — it  would  have  been  easy  for  Deer- 
foot  to  whip  him  without  any  weapon  and  with 
one  hand  tied  behind  his  back — that  is,  it  looks 
so  to  me  and  George — and  I'm  sure  he  could 
do  it  if  he  wished — confound  it,  Deerfoot, 
didn't  you  whip  him  as  I  said!" 

The  visitor  turned  to  the  Shawanoe,  who 
gravely  nodded  his  head. 


«*  BEHOLD  HE  PRAYETH."  249 

"Deerfoot  has  told  me  things  from  the  good 
book  which  he  carries  with  him,  and  he  said 
there  was  One  who  used  to  do  some  things  so 
strange  that  they  were  called  miracles/' 

"Yes,  He  did  many  of  them." 

"Then  Deerfoot  did  a  miracle  if  he  over- 
threw Taggarak  without  the  help  of  any 
weapon. "  . 

"No,"  modestly  replied  the  Shawanoe, 
"there  was  no  miracle.  It  was  easier  to  defeat 
him  without  a  weapon  than  with  one.  Deer- 
foot  wrenched  the  knife  from  his  hand  and 
then  threw  him  to  the  ground ;  that  was  all. ' ' 

"That  was  all!"  repeated  the  Blackfoot,  as 
if  to  himself.  Then  he  looked  at  the  boys  and 
the  three  laughed. 

"Yes,  that  was  all.  George  or  I  could  have 
done  the  same,  but  we  thought  it  better  to  turn 
the  job  over  to  Deerfoot.  He's  fond  of  doing 
such  trifles,"  said  Victor,  airily. 

The  result  of  the  conference  was  the  decision 
that  naught  could  be  done  except  to  await  the 
issue  of  events.  All  feared  the  worst,  and 
strove  to  prepare  for  it.  The  belief  was  that 
the  rage  in  the  breast  of  Chief  Taggarak  would 
lead  him  to  merciless  measures,  not  only 


250  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

against  his  visitors,  but  against  all  of  his  own 
people  who  had  showed  an  inclination  to 
embrace  the  new  religion. 

Three  days  passed  and  nothing  was  heard 
of  the  chief.  He  was  still  absent,  and  the  gen- 
eral belief  of  his  people  that  he  was  among  the 
other  villages  averted  misgiving.  Only  those 
in  the  secret  were  in  dread.  But  the  seed 
planted  by  Deerfoot  began  to  bear  fruit. 
Inquiries  came  to  him,  and  the  excitement  over 
the  religion  he  brought,  even  though  subdued, 
spread  among  the  warriors  and  women  of  the 
tribe.  Finally  Mul-tal-la  came  to  him  with  the 
surprising  request  that  he  would  address  the 
Indians  in  the  Big  Lodge  on  the  all-important 
subject.  In  making  the  request,  Mul-tal-la  the 
Blackfoot  spoke  for  others.  Without  hesita- 
tion the  Shawanoe  replied  that  he  would  do  as 
desired.  He  felt  it  was  his  duty,  and  he  was 
the  last  one  to  shrink. 

Near  the  middle  of  the  primitive  settlement 
was  a  structure  known  as  the  "Big  Lodge."  It 
was  of  the  simplest  build,  being  some  forty  feet 
in  length  by  about  half  that  width.  It  consisted 
of  upright  poles  at  the  corners,  with  other  sup- 
ports along  the  sides,  and  a  roof  of  boughs  sim- 


"BEHOLD  HE  PRAYETH*"  25 1 

ilar  to  that  of  the  royal  lodge.  All  the  sides 
were  open;  there  were  no  seats  and  no  pro- 
visions for  fire.  Consequently  the  temperature 
was  always  the  same  as  that  outdoors. 

It  was  the  custom  of  the  Blackfeet  to  hold 
their  councils  in  this  place,  Taggarak  being 
fond  of  summoning  his  chiefs  and  leading  war- 
riors thither,  while  they  smoked  their  pipes 
and  settled  questions  of  state.  Most  of  the  time 
the  barren  structure  was  deserted. 

On  a  bleak  afternoon  late  in  autumn,  when  a 
few  inches  of  snow  lay  on  the  ground  and  the 
wind  moaned  among  the  leafless  branches, 
Deerfoot  the  Shawanoe  and  the  Shelton 
brothers  wended  their  way  to  the  Big  Lodge. 
The  boys  paused  at  the  edge  of  the  assemblage 
and  silently  took  their  place  among  the  listen- 
ers. They,  as  well  as  their  friend,  were  aston- 
ished to  see  the  crowd  that  had  gathered.  War- 
riors and  women,  with  here  and  there  a  child, 
were  seated  everywhere  on  the  bare  ground, 
till  it  was  hard  to  find  room  for  another  person. 
No  one  could  fail  to  be  impressed  by  the  air  of 
solemnity  that  shadowed  each  dusky  face. 
Nearly  every  male  and  female  sat  with  a  shawl 
wrapped  around  the  shoulders,  for  the  air  was 


252  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

biting,  and  no  one  had  any  protection  from  it 
except  clothing.  Victor  whispered  to  his 
brother : 

"I  never  expected  to  see  anything  like  this. 
Who  would  have  thought  that  the  few  words 
Deerfoot  has  spoken  about  our  religion  could 
have  stirred  up  such  deep  feeling  I" 

An  Indian  scorns  to  betray  curiosity  or 
excitement,  and  only  a  few  of  the  warriors  and 
squaws  looked  up  as  the  young  Shawanoe 
picked  his  way  through  and  among  the  multi- 
tude, who  numbered  several  hundred,  to  the 
farther  end  of  the  space,  where  he  turned  to 
face  the  expectant  listeners.  He  had  left  his 
rifle  at  the  tepee,  but  his  knife  was  in  his  girdle, 
To  those  who  had  slight  knowledge  of  him 
he  looked  his  simple,  natural  self;  but  George 
and  Victor,  when  they  scanned  their  friend 
observed  a  deeper  flush  in  his  face  and  a 
brighter  gleam  in  the  eyes,  which  revealed  to 
them  the  profound  emotion  that  stirred  his 
soul. 

Deerfoot  stood  for  a  minute,  looking  over 
the  swarthy  faces  turned  expectantly  toward 
him.  He  had  prayed  many  times  for  strength  to 
meet  this  ordeal,  and  he  knew  he  would  do  so. 


"BEHOLD  HE  PRAYETH."  253 

Then  he  began  speaking  in  his  low,  musical 
voice,  which  was  clearly  heard  by  those  farthest 
removed.  He  used  the  Blackfoot  tongue,  so 
that  only  a  part  of  his  words  were  understood 
by  George  and  Victor,  and  never  halted  or  hes- 
itated until  the  interruption  came. 

"My  friends/'  said  he,  "the  heart  of  Deer- 
foot  is  glad  to  tell  you  about  the  Great  Spirit 
who  is  the  Father  of  the  red  men  as  well  as  of 
the  palefaces.  Many,  many  moons  ago  that 
Father  made  this  world;  the  sun  that  shines 
by  day  and  the  moon  and  stars  that  rule  at 
night ;  the  mountains,  the  woods,  the  rivers,  the 
prairies,  the  rocks,  the  clouds  and  all  that  you 
see  about  you.  He  gave  His  children  game  to 
hunt,  and  He  caused  the  fish  lo  grow  in  the 
streams  and  the  corn  and  fruit  to  spring  from 
the  ground.  There  was  nothing  that  His  chil- 
dren needed  that  He  did  not  give  to  them. 

"Was  not  that  Father  kind?  Could  any 
father  be  as  good  to  his  children  as  God  was  to 
those  He  put  on  the  earth  to  live  together? 
Should  not  those  children  love  Him  and  try  to 
live  as  He  wished  them  to  live?  But  they  were 
wicked  and  did  not  care  for  Him.  They  fought 
and  killed  one  another  and  did  all  they  could 


254  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

to  offend  their  Heavenly  Father.  They  were 
so  bad  that  bye  and  bye  He  turned  away  His 
face  in  anger.  He  would  have  slain  them  as 
they  deserved,  but  He  had  a  Son,  good  and  pure 
like  Himself.  This  Son  took  the  load  of  all  the 
sins  of  the  world  on  his  heart.  He  came  to  the 
earth  and  told  the  people  how  sad  God  was 
because  they  did  evil.  Some  heeded  His  words, 
but  bad  men  took  the  Son,  whom  we  call  our 
Saviour,  because  He  saved  us  all — you  and  me 
and  everybody — and  they  drove  nails  through 
his  hands  and  feet,  and  let  Him  hang  on  two 
crosspieces  of  wood  till  He  died  the  most  pain- 
ful of  deaths.  He  could  have  killed  those  who 
treated  Him  so  cruelly,  but  He  chose  to  die  so 
that  the  way  would  be  opened  for  all  men  and 
women  and  children  to  come  to  God,  who  was 
angry  no  longer,  because  the  Son  had  taken 
their  place  and  suffered  in  their  stead. 

"The  Great  Spirit,  whom  we  call  God  or  our 
Heavenly  Father,  has  made  the  path  so 
straight  and  so  free  from  briars  that  the  small- 
est child  can  walk  therein  without  harm.  He 
wants  you  to  become  Christians  and  to  believe 
in  Him.  A  Christian  is  one  who  does  all  he 
can  to  make  others  happy.  You  must  not  go  to 


44  BEHOLD  HE  PRAYETH."  255 

war,  and  only  fight  when  others  attack  you  or 
those  whom  you  love.  You  must  be  merciful 
and  forgiving.  Never  cause  anyone  to  suffer. 
Give  food  to  the  hungry,  help  those  who  have 
fallen  to  climb  to  their  feet,  take  them  by  the 
hand  and  lead  them  if  they  are  weak.  Think 
all  the  time  of  new  ways  of  making  other  per- 
sons smile.  You  must  pray  to  God  every  morn- 
ing and  night  and,  when  you  have  the  chance, 
through  the  day.  If  you  do  this,  a  sweet  peace, 
such  as  you  have  never  known  before,  will  come 
into  your  heart.  You  will  not  care  for  pain  or 
hunger  or  thirst  or  suffering,  for  the  happiness 
of  pleasing  your  Heavenly  Father  will  make 
you  forget  all  these.  When  you  die  He  will 
carry  you  to  those  blessed  hunting  grounds, 
where  you  shall  meet  all  the  friends  who  have 
gone  on  before  and  where  you  and  they  shall  be 
happy  forevermore." 

During  the  utterance  of  this  simple  plea  the 
Big  Lodge  was  as  still  as  the  tomb.  It  is  safe 
to  believe  that  not  a  man  or  woman  present 
failed  to  be  impressed,  for  every  person,  sav- 
age or  civilized,  pagan  or  Christian,  is  pro- 
foundly interested  in  the  most  transcendant 
theme  that  can  engage  the  human  mind — the 


256  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

saving  of  man's  soul  and  the  preparation  for 
the  life  to  come.  None  other  can  compare  with 
it.  It  is  the  one  supreme  question  of  the  ages. 

Those  who  looked  at  Deerfoot  thought  he 
had  finished  his  address,  but  it  was  not  so. 
George  and  Victor  Shelton  were  the  first  to 
understand  from  his  manner  that  something 
outside  of  the  lodge  had  checked  him.  He  was 
looking  beyond  the  boys  at  some  object  that 
had  made  him  cease  speaking.  The  boys 
turned  their  heads  to  learn  the  meaning  of  the 
interruption.  As  they  did  so  they  heard  some 
one  approaching  with  a  rapid  step. 

It  was  Taggarak,  the  chief,  his  face  aflame, 
his  stride  long  and  rapid  and  his  intense  gaze 
centered  on  the  young  Shawanoe.  Paying  no 
heed  to  those  in  his  way,  he  brushed  past,  over- 
turning several  and  plowed  straight  through 
the  crowd  toward  Deerfoot,  who  calmly 
awaited  his  coming. 

Every  eye  was  fixed  upon  the  terrible  chief- 
tain, and  hardly  one  of  his  people  doubted  that 
he  meant  to  assail  the  Shawanoe.  The  hearts 
of  George  and  Victor  Shelton  stood  still,  for 
they  felt  that  a  tragedy  was  about  to  open. 

Instead    of    drawing    his    knife,    Deerfoot 


"BEHOLD  KH  PRAYETH."  257 

placed  both  hands  behind  his  back,  after  the 
idle  manner  of  one  who  feels  little  interest  in 
what  is  going  on  before  him. 

Within  a  couple  of  paces  of  Deerfoot,  Tag- 
garak  wheeled  around,  and,  in  'a  voice  of  thun- 
der addressed  his  people: 

' '  The  Shawanoe  speaks  with  a  single  tongue ! 
His  words  are  true !  The  Great  Spirit  he  tells 
you  about  is  the  true  and  only  Great  Spirit! 
Taggarak  did  not  think  so;  he  scorned  him. 
but  his  eyes  have  been  opened  and  he  now  sees. 
He  has  been  wandering  in  the  woods  for  days 
and  nights,  trying  to  flee  from  the  anger  of 
that  Great  Spirit.  His  eyes  were  filled  with 
tears ;  he  lay  on  his  face  and  cried  to  Him ;  he 
did  not  eat  nor  drink  nor  sleep;  but  the  Great 
Spirit,  the  true  Great  Spirit,  spoke  loving 
words  to  Taggarak.  He  raised  him  to  his  feet ; 
He  showed  him  that  all  the  briars  had  been 
taken  from  his  path.  Taggarak  looked  around 
and  all  the  darkness  was  gone  and  the  sun  was 
shining  in  the  sky.  The  Great  Spirit  was 
pleased.  He  told  Taggarak  he  was  now  His 
son  and  all  shall  be  well  with  him. 

"Heed  the  words  of  the  Shawanoe,  for  they 
are  true.  Taggarak  is  a  Christian  and  wishes 
all  the  Blackfeet  to  become  Christians." 


CHAPTER  XX. 

LIGHT  IN  DARKNESS. 

IT  must  not  be  thought  that  the  large  assem- 
blage which  had  gathered  in  the  Big 
Lodge  were  of  one  mind,  or  even  that  a 
majority  were  ready  to  accept  the  new  religion 
that  was  explained  to  them  by  its  model  exem- 
plar, Deerfoot  the  Shawanoe.  A  few  yearned 
for  the  light,  and  had  already  learned  enough 
of  the  elemental  truths  to  be  drawn  toward 
them;  but  the  majority  were  attracted  by  that 
potent  cause — curiosity.  They  listened  closely. 
The  simple  words  of  the  preacher  showed 
clearly  that  the  new  faith  was  the  opposite  of 
the  old;  that,  if  accepted  by  them,  it  meant  a 
revolution  in  their  beliefs  and  practices. 

Most  of  the  men  and  a  few  of  the  women 
revolted  at  the  thought.  To  them  the  most 
powerful  of  motives  in  human  conduct  were 
those  of  revenge,  of  prowess  in  battle,  and  of 
mercilessness  toward  an  enemy.  To  be  told 
that  they  must  root  out  this  passion  and  be 

258 


LIGHT  IN  DARKNESS.  259 

governed  by  the  Golden  Rule  was  turning 
themselves  into  squaws,  and  spurning  that 
nobility  which  is  the  crowning  glory  of  the  red 
man's  life.  Their  demeanor  was  stolid.  The 
wise  Deerfoot  plainly  saw,  however,  that  his 
doctrine  found  favor  with  only  a  few.  He 
made  his  appeal  as  clear  and  direct  as  he  knew 
how,  but  he  did  not  need  to  be  told  that  he  was 
only  partially  successful. 

The  dramatic  entrance  and  declaration  by 
Chief  Taggarak  of  the  "pangs  of  transforma- 
tion" through  which  he  had  passed  and  his 
emergence  into  the  new  light  could  not  fail  to 
be  impressive  and  to  add  to  the  force  of  what 
had  just  been  said  by  the  Shawanoe.  None  the 
less,  it  had  also  an  opposite  effect  in  some 
cases.  The  warriors  who  had  accepted  the 
leadership  for  years  of  one  of  the  greatest 
chiefs  that  ever  swayed  the  destinies  of  the 
Blackfoot  people  now  repudiated  him.  He 
upon  whom  they  had  relied  so  long  to  lead  them 
in  battle  and  of  whose  unquestioned  bravery 
and  prodigious  prowess  all  knew,  had  become  a 
woman !  But  they  would  remain  true  warriors 
and  maintain  the  prestige  of  their  tribe  as 
among  the  most  aggressive  in  the  Northwest. 


260  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

Still  Taggarak  swept  a  number  with  him. 
Probably  when  he  was  through  with  his  burn- 
ing appeal  a  fifth  of  those  present  were  under 
"  conviction, "  and  could  be  counted  upon  in 
favorable  circumstances  to  become  believers  in 
the  faith  preached  by  the  One  who  spake  and 
taught  as  never  man  spake  and  taught.  It  may 
be  said  that  a  half  of  that  number  were  reso- 
lute in  this  decision.  Their  sentiments  were 
crystallized.  The  seed  had  been  sown  on  good 
ground  and  was  bearing  fruit. 

The  young  Shawanoe  was  tactful.  For  him 
to  attempt  to  add  anything  to  the  words  of 
Taggarak  would  be  to  weaken  them.  They 
were  the  climax,  and  silence  was  golden. 
Throughout  the  eloquent  appeal  of  the  chief, 
Deerfoot  stood  with  his  hands  idly  folded 
behind  him,  his  eyes  fixed  upon  the  face  of 
Taggarak,  whose  pose  gave  a  good  view  of  his 
features,  and  listening  in  the  very  intentness 
of  his  soul.  When  the  chief  had  uttered  his 
last  word  he  gathered  his  blanket  about  his 
shoulders  and  strode  out  of  the  Big  Lodge, 
looking  neither  to  the  right  nor  left,  and  again 
failing  to  notice  his  wife  and  little  boy,  who  sat 
on  the  ground  and  whom  he  brushed  as  he 


LIGHT  IN  DARKNESS.  26J 

passed  into  the  open  air.  He  did  not  glance 
behind,  but  continued  Irs  dignified,  deliberate 
stride  till  he  was  hidden  from  sight  among  the 
trees  beyond  the  cleared  space. 

Before  this,  Deerfoot,  without  speaking  a 
word,  picked  his  way  through  the  throng,  who 
surveyed  him  curiously  but  did  not  stir  until 
he  was  outside.  The  Shawanoe  glanced  at 
George  and  Victor  Shelton,  and  by  a  look  indi- 
cated that  they  were  to  follow  him.  They  did 
so,  silent  like  the  others,  and  the  three  returned 
to  their  own  tepee  without  exchanging  a  word 
on  the  road.  They  were  awed  by  what  they 
had  seen  and  heard,  and  respected  their  friend 
too  much  to  break  in  upon  his  meditations.  He 
sat  down  on  the  furs  in  his  usual  place  and 
they  busied  themselves  with  what  may  be  con- 
sidered their  household  duties,  speaking  only 
now  and  then  to  each  other.  The  afternoon 
was  drawing  to  a  close,  and,  but  for  the  fire 
that  was  kept  burning,  it  would  have  been  dark 
within  the  lodge.  They  prepared  their  meal, 
but  when  Deerfoot  was  invited  to  eat  he  shook 
his  head,  rose  to  his  feet  and  passed  out. 

The  Shawanoe  had  no  more  time  than  to 
straighten  up  in  the  open  air  when  he  was  face 


262  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

to  face  with  Mul-tal-la,  who  was  on  his  way  to 
see  him.  They  pressed  each  other's  hand  and 
the  visitor  said: 

"  Chief  Taggarak  wishes  that  his  brother  the 
Shawanoe  shall  come  to  his  lodge." 

"Deerfoot  goes  there,"  replied  the  youth, 
who  had  been  meditating  doing  so.  "Will  my 
brother  go  with  Deerfoot?" 

"Only  to  the  lodge.  Taggarak  does  not  wish 
to  see  him." 

The  two  walked  side  by  side,  the  hearts  of 
both  full.  It  was  so  dark  that  they  drew  no 
attention  to  themselves.  Just  before  the  well- 
known  home  of  the  chief  was  reached,  Mul- 
tal-la  turned  off  without  so  much  as  a  farewell 
word. 

The  war  chief  was  expecting  his  visitor.  He 
had  sent  his  wife  and  boy  away  in  order  that 
he  might  be  alone  with  the  Shawanoe.  He  sat 
with  his  back  against  the  rock,  his  position 
allowing  the  firelight  to  show  his  face  clearly, 
especially  one  side  of  it.  As  he  recognized  his 
visitor  he  smiled  and  extended  his  hand,  after 
the  manner  of  white  men.  Deerfoot  quickened 
his  pace  and  grasped  the  palm  and  laid  the 
other  on  the  shoulder  of  the  chieftain.  How 


LIGHT  IN  DARKNESS.  263 

different  from  their  meeting  by  the  lookout 
rock  several  days  before! 

"The  heart  of  Deerfoot  is  glad,"  said  the 
visitor,  in  a  low,  tremulous  voice. 

"Taggarak  hears  the  birds  sing  again. 
There  are  no  clouds  before  the  sun.  He  is 
happy,  for  the  Great  Spirit  smiles  upon  him." 

One  of  the  most  marvelous  facts  connected 
with  the  true  religion,  and  itself  a  proof  of  its 
divinity,  is  its  complete  adaptability  to  every 
condition  of  life  and  to  every  degree  of  intelli- 
gence. Its  essentials  are  as  readily  grasped 
by  the  clodhopper  as  by  the  profoundest 
scholar  whose  years  are  spent  in  delving  into 
the  mysteries  of  science.  No  finite  mind  can 
fathom  the  mysteries  of  life,  of  death,  of  sleep, 
of  the  beginning,  the  end,  of  eternity,  of  the  real 
nature  of  the  soul  and  of  God,  how  He  came 
into  existence;  nor,  indeed,  shall  we  ever  com- 
prehend in  all  their  fullness  the  simplest  phe- 
nomena around  us.  What  is  the  essence  of 
color  or  taste  or  smell?  How  is  the  word 
spoken  by  us  understood  by  him  to  whom  it  is 
addressed?  When  we  move  a  hand  or  foot, 
where  and  how  does  the  action  begin?  What 
is  the  theoretical  limit  of  divisibility  or  expan- 


264  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

sion?  These  and  scores  of  similar  questions 
have  only  to  be  asked  for  us  to  feel  the  utter 
helplessness  of  our  powers  of  understanding. 
But  to  the  untutored  savage,  shivering  in  his 
rude  wigwam  and  manacled  by  his  sombre 
superstitions,  the  essential  facts  for  the  saving 
of  his  soul  become  as  clear  as  the  sun  in  the 
unclouded  heavens.  The  man  with  a  dwarfed 
intellect  can  see  as  plainly  as  he  whose  tele- 
scope, sweeping  the  heavens,  carries  his  vision 
to  the  bounds  of  the  universe. 

"All  our  philosophic  pedants,  all  our  sons  of  science  know 
Not  a  whit  more  than  that  dullard  knew  a  million  years  ago." 

Deerfoot  stayed  with  Taggarak  for  several 
hours.  No  one  disturbed  them,  and  the  chief 
would  have  kept  his  comforter  still  longer  had 
not  the  latter  felt  that  it  was  better  to  leave  the 
Blackfoot  to  his  communings  with  God. 

When  at  last  the  Shawanoe  emerged  like  a 
shadow  from  the  lodge  of  the  chief  he  did  not 
go  to  his  own  home.  Instead,  he  turned  off, 
passed  swiftly  across  the  open  space  that  had 
been  the  scene  of  so  many  contests  and  games, 
entered  the  hilly  section  and  did  not  pause 
until  he  came  to  the  place  where  he  and  Tag- 
garak had  fought  several  days  before. 


LIGHT  IN  DARKNESS.  265 

Deerfoot  had  left  his  rifle  at  home  and  was 
alone.  Folding  his  arms  and  standing  on  the 
very  spot  where  he  had  flung  Taggarak  to  the 
earth  and  held  him  at  his  mercy,  he  looked  up 
at  the  faintly  moonlit  sky  and  murmured : 

"Deerfoot  does  not  deserve  such  happiness 
as  now  fills  his  heart.  He  thanks  God  for  His 
mercy. ' ' 

Never  in  all  his  brief  but  eventful  career  had 
the  young  Shawanoe  felt  more  unmistakably 
the  presence  of  the  Father  whom  he  worshiped 
and  strove  to  obey.  Ambition  gratified,  tri- 
umph obtained,  earthly  love,  physical  or  men- 
tal achievements,  defeat  of  opponents,  wealth, 
pleasure,  gratification  of  taste  and  longings, 
all  these  combined  cannot  give  to  the  human 
soul  that  thrilling  happiness  which  kindles  and 
glows  and  burns  into  life  when  Conscience 
whispers,  "Well  done!"  and  we  know  that 
some  thought  or  word  or  deed  of  ours  is  pleas- 
ing to  God. 

Nothing  was  or  could  be  more  real  to  Deer- 
foot  than  the  cause  of  the  radiance  that  suf- 
fused his  being  when  he  came  from  the  lodge 
of  the  Blackfoot  chieftain.  Science  may  try  to 
explain  such  emotions  as  an  exaltation  result- 


266  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

ing  from  physical  causes,  but  no  such  explana- 
tion can  suffice.  "We  feel  that  which  we  feel 
and  know  that  which  we  know. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

DESPITE  the  remarkable  experiences  of 
George  and  Victor  Shelton  in  the  Black- 
foot  village,  they  found,  as  the  weeks 
and  months  passed,  a  monotony  that  deepened 
their  homesickness  and  caused  them  to  yearn 
for  the  day  when  they  could  start  southward 
and  leave  the  bleak  region  forever  behind.  The 
winters  in  that  latitude  are  generally  severe, 
and  the  brothers  got  a  taste  of  cold  weather 
guch  as  they  had  never  known  on  the  other  side 
of  the  Mississippi.  There  must  have  been 
repeated  spells  when,  had  a  Fahrenheit  ther- 
mometer been  in  existence,  it  would  have 
shown  a  record  of  thirty  and  forty  degrees 
below  zero. 

People  who  are  accustomed  to  such  Arctic 
experiences  know  how  to  prepare  for  them, 
and  Deerfoot  and  the  boys  would  have  been 
foolish  had  they  neglected  so  plain  a  duty. 
With  wood  abundant  on  every  hand,  a  bounti- 

267. 


268  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

ful  supply  was  kept  within  the  tepee  and  out- 
side, and  weeks  passed  without  the  fire  being 
allowed  to  go  out.  With  the  soft,  warm  furs  at 
command,  no  one  of  the  three  met  with  more 
than  a  brief  discomfort  because  of  the  fearful 
cold. 

The  chief  cause  of  anxiety  was  the  horses. 
All  were  provided  with  shelter  and  carefully 
looked  after.  A  good  deal  of  grass  had  been 
pulled  and  much  cottonwood  and  willow  bark 
laid  in  stock.  If  the  animals  could  not  fare 
sumptuously,  they  had  enough  to  keep  them  in 
good  condition.  Fully  half  a  dozen  of  the 
Blackfoot  horses  were  frozen  to  death,  and 
those  belonging  to  our  friends  would  have  per- 
ished but  for  the  care  they  received.  They 
were  screened  by  blankets  during  the 
unusually  severe  weather,  and  Whirlwind 
received  the  tenderest  attention  from  Deer- 
foot.  More  than  once  the  Shawanoe  stole  out 
of  the  tepee  in  the  depth  of  the  night  and 
tramped  over  the  snow  through  an  atmosphere 
that  was  still  and  as  biting  as  the  teeth  of  a 
saw.  No  matter  how  silently  the  youth  moved 
forward,  the  stallion  discovered  his  approach 
and  whinneyed  his  welcome.  Then  when  the 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  269 

blizzards  raged  Deerfoot  never  forgot  to  call 
and  assure  himself  that  nothing  was  neglected 
that  could  shield  the  faithful  creatures.  Thus 
they  were  saved  from  harm  until  the  weather 
moderated  upon  the  approach  of  spring. 

With  the  snow  lying  several  feet  deep  on 
the  level  and  piled  ten  times  higher  among  the 
mountains,  Deerfoot  and  the  hoys  hunted  with 
their  friends  on  snow-shoes.  It  was  exhilarat- 
ing, but  the  resistless  cold  took  away  much  of 
the  pleasure  that  otherwise  would  have  come  to 
the  lads.  As  for  the  Shawanoe,  summer  and 
winter  seemed  alike  to  him. 

When  the  village  was  helpless  in  the  grasp 
of  old  Boreas,  the  inhabitants  did  little  except 
cower  in  their  lodges  around  their  fires  and  eat 
and  sleep.  This  sort  of  existence  grew  almost 
intolerable  to  the  brothers.  With  every  mus- 
cle and  nerve  yearning  for  action,  they  became 
impatient  and  sometimes  fretful.  When  they 
spoke  of  themselves  as  prisoners  it  was  the 
truth. 

Taggarak  acted  kindly  toward  George  and 
Victor,  but  never  showed  any  special  friend- 
ship for  them.  It  may  have  been  because  they 
belonged  to  another  race.  Toward  Deerfoot  he 


270  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

displayed  a  profound  gratitude,  a  deep  affec- 
tion and  reverence,  amounting  at  times  almost 
to  worship.  He  was  the  messenger  who 
brought  the  glad  tidings  of  the  one  and  only 
true  God,  and  the  chief  in  some  way  or  other 
associated  him  with  the  divine  message  itself, 
as  if  he  were  a  part  of  it. 

The  snow  and  cold  shut  off  communication 
almost  entirely  between  the  Blackfoot  villages. 
Early  in  the  winter  and  toward  spring  several 
warriors  came  down  from  the  most  northern 
settlement,  but  they  did  not  remain  long* 
It  was  known,  however,  among  them  all  that 
Taggarak,  the  leading  chief,  had  accepted  the 
new  religion,  and  his  authority  naturally 
weakened,  but  nothing  in  the  nature  of  a  revolt 
took  place  against  his  supremacy. 

Deerfoot  frequently  visited  the  chief,  where 
none  was  so  welcome  as  he.  Taggarak  never 
went  to  the  tepee  of  the  Shawanoe,  for  he  pre- 
ferred always  to  see  Deerfoot  alone.  Mul- 
tal-la,  Spink,  Jiggers  and  seven  other  warriors 
openly  confessed  the  Christian  religion. 
Nearly  double  that  number  of  squaws — among 
them  the  wife  of  the  chief — did  the  same. 
Slowly  and  surely  the  leaven  worked,  and  when 


HOMEVARD  BOUND.  271 

the  time  drew  near  for  the  departure  of  the 
visitors  it  is  probable  that  the  number  of  con- 
verts was  doubled,  with  the  promise  of  further 
increase. 

Deerfoot  and  the  boys  made  the  parting  as 
"informal"  as  possible.  All  through  the  win- 
ter the  Shawanoe  had  impressed  upon  the 
Blackfeet  that  this  separation  in  the  nature  of 
things  would  be  brief.  The  time  was  certain 
to  come,  at  no  distant  day,  when  they  would  all 
be  together  again.  So  he  smiled,  the  boys  bade 
good-bye  to  the  numerous  lads  with  whom  they 
had  played  and  hunted,  and  were  so  happy 
over  the  prospect  of  soon  seeing  their  own 
home  again  that  they  could  not  repress  their 
delight  nor  pay  much  attention  to  the  regret,  if 
not  sadness,  of  the  aboriginal  youngsters. 

Deerfoot 's  last  hour  in  the  village  was  spent 
alone  with  Taggarak  in  his  lodge.  What  took 
place  there  and  what  was  said  by  each  were 
never  known  to  anyone  beside  themselves. 

By  the  middle  of  the  afternoon  our  friends 
had  penetrated  a  number  of  miles  to  the  east- 
ward. A  good  deal  of  snow  remained,  and 
they  had  to  pick  their  way  with  care.  They 
would  have  been  wise  had  they  remained 


272  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

another  month,  as  they  were  urged  to  do;  but 
Deerfoot  himself  was  as  homesick  as  his  com- 
panions and  as  willing  as  they  to  face  the  hard- 
ships that  had  to  be  faced  for  several  weeks  to 
come. 

Jack,  Prince,  Zigzag  and  even  Whirlwind 
showed  the  effects  of  their  long  confinement,  but 
all  appeared  to  share  the  enthusiasm  of  their 
owners  and  worked  royally  to  get  forward. 
When  they  had  traveled  the  distance  named,  the 
rest  given  them  by  their  masters  was  not  unwel- 
come. 

Naturally,  upon  halting,  all  turned  their  eyes 
westward.  A  moderate  mountain  spur  hid  the 
village  from  sight,  but  each  knew  where  it  lay. 
George  and  Victor  scanned  the  field  of  vision 
with  the  aid  of  the  glass,  but  noted  nothing 
unusual.  When  Deerfoot  took  the  instrument 
he  stood  for  a  long  time  directed  toward  a  cer- 
tain spot.  He  expected  to  see  some  object,  and 
was  not  disappointed.  On  the  top  of  the  same 
bare  brown  rock  where  he  had  caught  sight  of 
Mul-tal-la  when  Deerfoot  was  coming  to  the 
village  for  the  first  time,  he  descried  another 
form.  It  was  not  that  of  Mul-tal-la;  it  was 
Taggarak,  who  had  climbed  alone  to  the  place, 


HOMEWARD  BOUND*  273 

and,  silent  and  motionless  as  a  statue,  was  gaz- 
ing after  the  little  party  of  horsemen  as  they 
slowly  faded  from  view  in  the  distance. 

George  and  Victor  kept  their  eyes  on  their 
friend,  and  when  they  noted  the  length  of  time 
he  held  the  glass  leveled  they  suspected  the 
cause. 

"He  sees  some  one,"  said  George,  in  a  low 
tone. 

"It  must  be  Taggarak.    Look!" 

Deerfoot  had  lowered  the  instrument  and 
was  peering  westward  with  his  unaided  vision. 
He  was  testing  whether  he  could  thus  discern 
that  which  the  glass  revealed  plainly.  Evi- 
dently he  did  so,  though  the  boys  could  not 
locate  the  form,  even  when  they  knew  almost 
precisely  where  to  look  for  it. 

Standing  upright,  the  Shawanoe  took  his 
blanket  from  the  back  of  Whirlwind  and  swung 
it  back  and  forth  over  his  head,  for  fully  a 
dozen  times.  Then,  dropping  it  to  his  feet,  he 
brought  the  glass  again  to  his  eye. 

"Taggarak  has  seen  it,"  whispered  Victor, 
who,  like  his  brother,  was  watching  the  face  of 
Deerfoot  and  noted  the  smile  come  to  his  coun- 
tenance. 

18 


274  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

Such  was  the  fact.  As  the  Shawanoe  looked 
again  he  observed  the  chieftain  rise  from  his 
sitting  position  and  reply  to  the  signal  by  wav- 
ing his  own  blanket.  The  trained  vision  of  the 
veteran  warrior  saw  as  clearly  as  those  of 
youth.  The  action  of  Taggarak  brought  him 
into  view  of  the  lads,  both  noting  the  flick- 
ering of  what  resembled  a  mere  speck  in  the 
distance.  Finally,  Deerfoot  lowered  the  glass 
and  turned  about,  as  if  to  say  that  was  the  final 
parting  from  the  chief  who  held  him  in  such 
loving  remembrance. 

The  mountain  peaks  on  every  hand  were 
covered  with  snow.  On  the  lower  ranges  this 
would  gradually  dissolve  under  the  rays  of  the 
sun,  but  others  were  so  lofty  that  the  white 
blanket  remained  throughout  the  year.  While 
gazing  at  a  towering  range  to  the  northeast  the 
three  witnessed  the  descent  of  an  avalanche. 
Deerfoot  was  the  first  to  see  it,  and  directed  the 
notice  of  the  boys  to  the  vast  disturbance. 

The  glance  revealed  nothing  unusual,  the 
enormous  extent  of  slope  looking  as  if  it  were 
motionless,  but  a  second  look  told  the  truth.  A 
grove  of  pines  at  the  base  of  the  range  were 
suddenly  snuffed  out.  This  was  because  they 


HOMEVARD  BOUND.  275 

disappeared  under  the  prodigious  mass  of 
snow  and  ice  that  swept  over  them.  Then  a 
dark,  irregular  line,  running  right  and  left,  and 
roughly  parallel  with  the  crest  of  the  range, 
came  into  view.  It  was  an  eighth  of  a  mile  in 
length  and  the  narrow  width  rapidly  increased 
until  there  was  a  rent  or  yawn  of  several  hun- 
dred feet,  zigzagging  from  one  side  to  the 
other.  The  dark  color  of  this  chasm  was  due 
to  rocks  and  ground,  and  marked  the  break 
between  the  two  sections  or  divisions  of  the 
avalanche.  The  upper  portion  caught  and 
held,  while  the  remainder  swept  downward 
without  check.  Thus  a  huge  gap  was  opened, 
through  which  the  brown  earth  and  stones 
showed. 

The  next  strange  sight  was  that  of  boulders, 
some  of  them  weighing  many  tons,  flung  high 
in  air  and  tossed  about  like  so  many  corks. 
One  might  have  thought  that  Titans  were  dis- 
porting themselves  as  did  the  fabled  gods  on 
Mount  Olympus.  As  the  inconceivable  moun- 
tain of  snow  crashed  onward  it  spread  out  at 
the  base  of  the  range,  and  finally  settled  to 
rest.  Had  an  ordinary  town  been  in  its  path 
it  would  have  been  buried  to  the  tops  of  the 
highest  steeples. 


276  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

Nearly  all  this  had  taken  place  before  the 
three  spectators  heard  the  deep,  thunderous 
roar  that  rolled  across  the  space  and  told  of 
the  stupendous  mass  that  had  been  loosened  by 
the  undermining  rays  of  the  sun  or  by  some 
trifling  disturbance  of  the  atmosphere. 

"If  we  should  be  caught  in  anything  like 
that,"  said  Victor,  "it  would  take  us  a  good 
while  to  dig  out." 

"My  brothers  might  never  dig  out,"  said 
Deerfoot. 

"What  is  there  to  hinder!" 

"There  are  many  stones  and  rocks  and 
boulders  tumbling  about  in  the  snow,  and  they 
would  be  likely  to  kill  us." 

"Then,  Deerfoot,  you  must  keep  your  eyes 
open  for  avalanches.  It  would  be  pretty  hard 
for  the  horses,  though  Zigzag  has  sort  of  got 
used  to  it." 

Little  need  for  warning  the  Shawanoe  of  his 
duty.  That  was  what  he  had  been  attending  to 
all  his  life.  He  had  never  placed  himself  and 
friends  in  the  way  of  an  impending  avalanche. 
Recalling  their  course  since  leaving  the  village, 
the  brothers  understood  better  than  before  the 
cause  of  more  than  one  tortuous  winding  by 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  277 

their  guide,  when  they  had  been  unable  to 
guess  the  reason  for  such  quixotic  turns  that 
did  not  lessen  the  labor  of  traveling  itself. 

It  was  not  yet  midday,  and  the  halt  was  not 
made  for  food  for  either  man  or  beast.  In 
truth,  grass  was  so  scarce,  except  here  and 
there  in  the  sheltered  nooks  and  depressions, 
that  some  dependence  would  have  to  be  placed 
for  awhile  on  the  barks  of  trees.  Zigzag  showed 
a  meekness  that  roused  distrust  on  the  part  of 
the  boys.  He  must  have  found  the  heavy  pack 
quite  onerous,  but  he  did  not  rebel.  Whirlwind 
showed  little  lessening  of  his  aristocratic 
tastes,  and  refused  to  mingle  on  anything  like 
equal  terms  with  the  common  stock  around 
him. 

When  Deerfoot  and  his  companions  were 
journeying- west  ward  they  decided  to  return  by 
a  different  route  from  the  Blackfoot  country. 
Their  first  intention  was  to  travel  eastward 
until  they  reached  the  upper  waters  of  the 
Mississippi,  and  then  make  their  way  down 
that  stream  to  civilization,  following  in  a  gen- 
eral way  the  course  of  the  mighty  stream. 
With  their  horses,  and  without  large  boats,  they 
could  not  utilize  the  current,  unless  perhaps 


278  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

after  descending  a  long  distance  they  were  able 
to  construct  a  large  raft. 

This  plan,  which  would  have  taken  them 
through  the  hunting  grounds  of  the  Assini- 
boines,  was  changed,  and  they  turned  to  the 
southeast,  having  been  told  that  that  course 
offered  less  difficulties  to  them.  They  gave  up 
their  former  plan  because  of  their  wish  to 
enter  a  moderate  climate  as  soon  as  possible. 
Although  spring  was  well  begun,  they  had  a 
good  deal  of  snow  and  ice  to  encounter,  and 
were  likely  to  meet  it  for  weeks  to  come.  This 
was  shown  on  their  second  day,  when  a  driving 
storm  of  snow  and  sleet  forced  them  to  seek 
shelter  for  themselves  and  horses,  and  another 
day  passed  before  they  could  resume  their 
journey. 

The  most  trying  difficulty  was  that  of  cross- 
ing streams,  which  were  more  numerous  than 
they  had  supposed.  Some  were  mountain  tor- 
rents of  only  a  few  yards  width,  others 
deserved  the  name  of  rivers,  and  the  current  of 
each  was  of  icy  coldness.  More  than  once  they 
saw  blocks  of  ice  grinding  and  tumbling  over 
one  another  as  they  plunged  rapidly  onward. 
It  was  so  dangerous  at  times  for  the  horses  to 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  279 

attempt  to  swim  across,  and  so  hard  and  disa- 
greeable for  the  youths,  that  hours  were  spent 
in  hunting  for  a  fording  place.  Fortunately 
they  were  always  able  to  gather  enough  fuel  to 
make  themselves  comfortable  at  night;  grass 
became  more  plentiful  and  no  trouble  was  had 
in  procuring  game.  This  generally  consisted 
of  bison,  but  it  was  a  great  improvement  when 
they  were  able  to  bring  down  a  Eocky  Moun- 
tain sheep.  This  animal  does  not  bear  wool, 
but  hair  like  that  of  the  deer,  and  is  larger  than 
the  largest  domestic  sheep.  The  horns  of  the' 
males  attain  great  size,  starting  from  just 
above  the  eyes,  though  not  touching  at  the 
bases,  and  curving  over  so  as  to  include  all  the 
space  between  the  ears.  The  meat  at  certain 
seasons  is  very  palatable  and  held  in  high 
favor.  The  animal  is  generally  known  by  the 
name  of  the  "big  horn,"  and  is  so  skilful  a 
climber. and  so  alert  that  it  is  quite  a  feat  for 
a  hunter  to  bring  down  a  specimen.  Deerf oot 
was  the  only  one  on  this  return  journey  who 
was  able  to  bag  the  game,  which  never  failed 
to  elude  George  and  Victor  Shelton. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

A  MEMORABLE  MEETING. 

IF  you  will  examine  the  map  of  the  State  of 
Montana  you  will  note  that  the  central 
county  bears  the  name  of  Fergus,  while 
one  of  the  counties  lying  directly  south  is  Yel- 
lowstone. The  boundary  between  these  two  is 
the  Musselshell  Eiver,  which,  flowing  directly 
northward,  separates  Ouster  and  Dawson 
counties,  joining  the  Missouri  at  the  northeast- 
ern corner  of  Fergus  County.  It  was  in  the 
latter  part  of  May,  1805,  that  Deerfoot  and  the 
two  Shelton  boys,  after  a  long,  wearisome  ride 
and  tramp  through  a  wild  and  unknown  region, 
broken  by  mountain  spurs  and  crossed  by  num- 
berless streams,  arrived  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Musselshell. 

Even  with  summer  hardly  a  fortnight  off,  ice 
formed  at  night,  flurries  of  snow  filled  the  air 
at  times  and  the  camp  fire  became  a  necessity. 
And  yet  our  friends  were  plagued  by  mos- 
quitoes, grass  was  plentiful,  and  there  was  no 

280 


A  MEMORABLE  MEETING.  28J 

lack  of  game.  The  party  seemed  to  be  sharing 
the  summer  and  winter  seasons,  with  the  most 
disagreeable  features  of  both. 

Having  followed  the  Missouri  so  far,  Deer- 
foot  said  that  a  crossing  place  must  be  found 
before  the  morrow,  for  it  was  inevitable  that 
the  farther  they  went  down  stream  the  larger 
it  would  become,  because  of  its  numerous  trib- 
utaries. The  Missouri  was  an  eighth  of  a  mile 
across  at  its  junction  with  the  Musselshell,  but 
its  current  was  gentle.  Not  an  Indian  had 
been  seen  for  four  days,  and  Deerfoot  was  on 
foot  searching  the  northern  shore  for  a  good 
crossing  place  when  George  Shelton  called 
out: 

"Look!  There  are  white  men  on  the  other 
side  of  the  river !" 

Deerfoot  had  observed  them  and  had  halted 
and  scrutinized  them  with  no  little  interest  and 
wonder.  The  first  sight  was  of  six  or  eight 
men  coming  round  a  bend  in  the  Missouri,  all 
having  hold  of  a  long  elk-skin  rope  which,  pass- 
ing over  the  shoulder  of  each,  was  fastened  to 
a  large  pirogue.  Directly  behind  them  was  a 
similar  boat,  and  then  six  small  canoes, 
the  whole  string  being  towed  by  fully  a  score  of 


282  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

men.  The  boats  contained  a  large  amount  of 
luggage,  while  a  dozen  men,  one  of  whom  was  a 
negro  servant,  took  turns  at  the  labor. 

Since  the  afternoon  was  drawing  to  a  close 
the  party  came  to  a  pause,  and  the  next  minute 
were  looking  across  the  stream  at  the  three 
youths  with  their  four  animals,  the  riders  hav- 
ing dismounted,  each  party  much  impressed  by 
sight  of  the  other.  At  the  suggestion  of  Deer- 
foot,  Victor  Shelton  acted  as  spokesman. 

"Helloa!"  called  the  lad,  "Who  are  you?" 

A  man  answered  in  a  clear  voice: 

"This  is  a  United  States  expedition  under 
Captains  Lewis  and  Clark,  on  its  way  to  the 
Pacific  Ocean.  Who  are  you?" 

"This  is  an  American  expedition  under 
Deerfoot  the  Shawanoe,  on  its  way  from  the 
Pacific  Ocean." 

The  man  turned  and  said  something  to  a 
companion  near  him.  They  seemed  amused  by 
the  reply,  and  the  former  speaker  called  back: 

"Won't  you  join  us  in  camp?" 

"We  shall  be  glad  to  do  so.  We  are  hunting 
for  a  ford." 

"I  don't  think  you  will  find  any.  We  will 
send  our  canoes  to  you  and  you  can  swim  your 
horses  over." 


A  MEMORABLE  MEETING.  283 

"We  shall  be  very  much  obliged,  and  shall 
be  glad  to  stay  with  you  till  morning." 

A  few  minutes  later  two  canoes,  each  in 
charge  of  a  single  man,  put  out  from  the  south- 
ern shore  and  were  paddled  across  the  Mis- 
souri to  our  friends.  The  luggage  was  removed 
from  the  back  of  Zigzag  and  placed  in  one  of 
the  boats,  which  was  so  deeply  laden  that  it 
could  carry  no  one  beside  the  white  man.  The 
other  was  buoyant  enough,  though  severely 
taxed,  to  sustain  the  four.  The  horses  swam 
beside  the  boats. 

When  Deerfoot  took  his  place  he  said  to  the 
white  man: 

"My  brother  has  worked  hard.  Will  he  not 
let  Deerfoot  take  the  paddle?" 

"I  have  no  objection,"  replied  the  other, 
with  a  grin,  "if  you  think  you  know  how  to  do 
it  better  than  I." 

"No  better  than  my  brother,  but  I  hope 
nearly  as  well." 

"Just  watch  him,"  added  Victor.  "If 
there's  anybody  on  either  side  of  the  Missis- 
sippi that  can  beat  that  Shawanoe  handling  a 
canoe,  I'll  eat  him,  boots  and  all." 

Deerfoot  had  no  wish  to  display  his  skill, 


384  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

but  since  it  was  impossible  for  him  to  paddle 
without  doing  that  he  quickly  won  the  admira- 
tion of  the  fellow,  who  was  tired  and  glad  to  be 
relieved  from  work.  He  noted  the  easy  grace 
and  slight  effort  with  which  the  dusky  youth 
drove  the  craft  athwart  the  current,  quickly 
leaving  the  other  boat  behind,  and  called  to  his 
companion : 

"Pete,  he  knows  his  business!  Never  seen 
his  like.  Hitch  your  canoe  fast  and  he'll  tow 
you  over  without  using  more  than  one  hand 
and  with  both  eyes  shet." 

Deerfoot  acted  as  if  he  did  not  understand 
the  words,  and  impelled  the  craft  so  accurately 
that  when  it  touched  shore  it  did  so  at  a  point 
precisely  opposite  the  spot  where  he  and  his 
companions  had  entered  the  craft. 

"While  our  friends  were  crossing  the  Mis- 
souri the  explorers  completed  their  prepara- 
tions for  the  evening.  They  had  toiled  hard  all 
day  in  pulling,  pushing  and  paddling  the  boats 
up  stream,  for  there  were  not  many  places 
where  progress  could  be  made  by  any  other 
means.  The  pirogues  were  furnished  with 
sails,  and  now  and  then  a  strong  favorable 
wind  lightened  the  toil  of  the  men. 


A  MEMORABLE  MEETING.  285 

When  Deerfoot  and  the  boys  stepped  out  of 
the  boat  and  came  up  the  low  but  steep  bank, 
two  persons,  attired  in  rough  garb  resembling 
that  worn  by  hunters,  came  forward  and  cor- 
dially received  them.  The  one  in  advance 
extended  his  hand  and  said : 

1 '  I  am  Captain  Meriwether  Lewis,  and  this  is 
my  friend,  Captain  William  Clark.  We  are 
glad  to  meet  you." 

As  he  spoke  he  offered  his  hand  to  George 
Shelton,  who  introduced  himself  and  then  his 
companions. 

"This  is  my  twin  brother  Victor,  though  he 
hardly  looks  it.  This  is  our  guide,  Deerfoot 
the  Shawanoe." 

The  two  officers  welcomed  the  little  party, 
and  Captain  Lewis  added: 

"We  should  be  glad  to  have  you  spend  sev- 
eral days  with  us,  but  you  seem  to  be  traveling 
in  the  opposite  direction. " 

"Yes,"  said  George,  "we  are  homeward 
bound,  and  have  been  gone  so  long  that  we  feel 
in  somewhat  of  a  hurry. ' ' 

"May  I  ask  where  your  home  is?" 

"In  southern  Ohio,  at  the  settlement  of 
Woodvale,  near  the  mouth  of  the  Miami." 


286  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

"You  are  a  long  way  from  there." 

"Yes,"  Victor  took  it  upon  himself  to 
remark,  "but  we  have  been  a  good  deal  far- 
ther." 

"When  did  you  leave  Woodvale?" 

"About  a  year  ago." 

"And  how  far  west  have  you  been!" 

"Far  enough  to  get  a  glimpse  of  the  Pacific 
Ocean." 

"That  is  our  destination.  We  thought  we 
were  to  be  the  first  white  men  to  make  the 
journey." 

"So  you  will  be,  for  we  did  not  go  all  the 
way  to  the  coast.  I  suppose  you  will  do  that?" 

"Such  are  our  instructions  from  President 
Jefferson." 

While  this  conversation  was  going  on  other 
members  of  the  exploring  party  gathered 
round.  George  had  yielded  the  place  of 
spokesman  to  his  brother,  and  Deerfoot  stood 
a  few  paces  behind  him.  He  was  conscious  of 
the  curious  scrutiny  he  was  under  from  several 
of  the  members,  but  he  acted  as  if  unaware  of 
it  and  held  his  peace.  But  he,  too,  was  using 
his  eyes  and  listening  to  the  talk  of  the  leaders, 
in  whom  he  was  much  interested. 


A  MEMORABLE  MEETING.  287 

Victor  fancied  he  detected  just  a  shade  of 
disappointment  in  the  last  remark  of  Captain 
Lewis,  and  he  hastened  to  add: 

"We  amount  to  nothing.  Only  two  of  us 
belong  to  your  race,  and  we  cannot  ask  to  be 
considered  as  men  for  a  few  years  to  come." 

"You  are  husky-looking  youngsters,"  added 
Captain  Clark,  from  his  place  beside  his  asso- 
ciate, as  he  looked  admiringly  at  the  two  lads. 

"Where  did  you  spend  the  winter?"  contin- 
ued Lewis. 

"In  the  Blackfoot  country,  to  the  northwest. 
We  reached  there  last  autumn  and  stayed  until 
a  few  weeks  ago." 

"I  need  not  ask  you  if  you  were  well  treated, 
for  your  looks  show  that." 

"They  were  all  our  friends.  We  should 
have  perished  so  far  north  had  we  not  found 
refuge  among  them." 

"But  we  are  forgetting  our  hospitality.  We 
will  have  your  horses  looked  after.  Come  over 
by  the  camp  for  supper,  which  will  soon  be 
ready.  That  is  the  finest  horse  I  ever  saw. 
Which  of  you  is  his  owner!" 

"He  belongs  to  Deerfoot." 

"Where  did  he  get  him?" 


288  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

"Last  year  the  Shawanoe's  horse  was  hurt 
so  badly  that  he  had  to  kill  him.  Soon  after 
we  came  across  this  stallion  and  Deerfoot  man- 
aged to  capture  and  tame  him." 

"He  looks  as  if  he  might  have  been  the  king 
of  a  drove." 

"He  was.  The  Shawanoe  cut  him  out  and 
conquered  him." 

Now  Deerfoot,  while  crossing  the  river,  had 
warned  the  boys  not  to  indulge  in  any  boasts 
about  him,  as  you  know  they  were  fond  of 
doing.  Despite  his  matchless  prowess  and 
skill,  he  disliked,  above  everything  else,  to  be 
paraded  before  others  and  to  be  forced  into 
showing  what  he  was  able  to  do.  It  was  pain- 
ful to  George  and  Victor  to  be  compelled  to 
suppress  their  feelings  in  this  way,  but  they 
meant  to  obey  their  friend,  so  far  as  they  pos- 
sibly could. 

It  was  evident  that  neither  Captain  Lewis 
nor  Clark  nor  any  of  the  listeners  believed  the 
statement  just  made  by  Victor  Shelton.  The 
latter  glanced  at  the  Shawanoe  for  permission 
to  explain.  Deerfoot  wrinkled  his  brow  and 
shook  his  head.  So  the  explanation  was  not 
made — just  then. 


A  MEMORABLE  MEETING.  289 

The  group  now  sauntered  over  to  the  large 
fire  that  had  been  kindled  a  few  rods  back  from 
the  river  bank.  Three  men  were  busy  prepar- 
ing the  evening  meal,  the  others  sauntering 
here  and  there,  looking  after  the  luggage,  a 
portion  of  which  had  been  brought  ashore. 
Deerfoot  walked  over  to  Whirlwind,  who  was 
expecting  such  attention,  and  guided  him  some 
distance  inland,  where  there  was  plenty  of  suc- 
culent grass  and  he  could  graze  apart  from  the 
common  herd.  That  equine  would  never  lose 
his  pride  until  he  died.  Patting  his  nose  and 
softly  bidding  him  good-bye,  the  Shawanoe 
hastened  back  to  his  friends,  who  had  seated 
themselves  on  a  fallen  tree  on  one  side  of  the 
fire,  while  Captains  Lewis  and  Clark  were  sim- 
ilarly placed  opposite.  Two  of  the  men  were 
passing  around  ordinary  tin  plates,  but  no 
knives  and  no  forks  were  called  into  use,  one's 
fingers  serving  in  their  stead. 

The  explorers  had  not  suffered  from  any 
lack  of  game.  The  catfish  taken  from  the  river 
weighed  three  or  four  pounds  apiece,  and  sev- 
eral deer,  elks  and  bears  had  been  shot* 
Among  the  latter  was  one  belonging  to  the 
grizzly  species.  To  show  the  tenacity  of  these 

19 


290  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

mammoth  brutes,  the  journal  of  the  explorers 
records  that  after  the  beast  had  been  shot 
through  the  heart  "he  ran  at  his  usual  pace 
nearly  a  quarter  of  a  mile  before  he  fell."  Wild 
geese  were  seen  in  such  numbers  that  their  kill- 
ing often  became  so  easy  that  it  could  not  be 
called  sport. 

By  the  time  our  friends  had  completed  their 
meal  night  had  fully  come,  and  the  drop  in  the 
temperature  made  the  warmth  of  the  blaze 
pleasant.  A  second  fire  had  been  started  at 
some  distance,  where  most  of  the  men  gath- 
ered. Being  apart  from  their  leaders,  there 
was  more  freedom  of  action  and  speech.  In 
the  course  of  the  evening  the  boys  heard  the 
strains  of  a  violin  coming  from  the  other  camp, 
and,  turning  their  heads,  saw  one  of  the  men 
seated  on  a  boulder  with  his  head  thrown  back 
and  vigorously  sawing  on  his  fiddle,  while  his 
companions  were  dancing  in  the  open  space  in 
front,  which  was  lit  up  by  the  firelight.  Most 
of  the  hardy  fellows  solemnly  swayed  their 
bodies  and  shuffled  back  and  forth  with  their 
arms  akimbo,  but  others  were  more  lively  and 
dashed  off  jigs,  reels  and  rigadoons.  A  French 
voyageur  suddenly  threw  up  his  heels,  support- 


A  MEMORABLE  MEETING.  29J 

ing  himself  on  his  hands,  and  kept  excellent 
time  to  the  notes  of  the  fiddle. 

Neither  Lewis  nor  Clark  had  ever  heard  of 
Deerfoot,  but  it  soon  developed  that  three  of 
their  men,  Joseph  and  Reuben  Shields  and 
George  Shannon,  of  Kentucky,  knew  a  good 
deal  about  him.  Shannon  was  but  a  boy  him- 
self, being  only  seventeen  years  old,  but  had 
once  met  the  Shawanoe  along  the  Ohio,  when 
he  was  in  the  company  of  Simon  Kenton.  Deer- 
foot  recalled  the  incident,  and  was  glad  to 
renew  the  acquaintance.  At  the  invitation  of 
Shannon  he  walked  with  him  to  the  farther 
camp  fire,  and  became  a  pleased  witness  of  the 
boisterous  sport  of  the  men. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

LEWIS  AND  CLARK'S  EXPEDITION* 

WITH  George  and  Victor  Shelton  seated 
on  the  fallen  tree  on  one  side  of  the 
camp  fire,  and  Captains  Lewis  and 
Clark  on  the  other,  these  two  famous  explorers 
told  the  story  of  their  expedition,  which  must 
always  retain  an  historical  interest  for  all 
of  us. 

As  early  as  1785,  while  Jefferson  was  in 
Paris,  he  hecame  impressed  with  the  value  of 
the  Northwest.  This  interest  increased  after 
his  return  home,  and  when  he  became  Presi- 
dent he  secured  an  appropriation  of  twenty- 
five  hundred  dollars  from  Congress  for  the 
purpose  of  defraying  the  expense  of  an  explor- 
ation of  the  vast  region  to  the  northwest  of  the 
Mississippi.  This  appropriation  was  made  in 
February,  1803. 

The  area  of  Louisiana  was  more  than  a  mil- 
lion square  miles,  and  greater  than  that  of  the 
whole  United  States  as  it  then  existed.  It  was 

292 


LEWIS  AND  CLARK'S  EXPEDITION.  293 

purchased  from  France  for  the  sum  of  fifteen 
million  dollars,  the  treaty  to  that  effect  between 
the  two  governments  being  ratified  in  the  sum- 
mer of  the  year  named.  By  this  single  transac- 
tion the  dominion  of  the  United  States  was 
extended  across  the  whole  continent  of  North 
America,  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific. 

The  exploring  party  that  entered  this  enor- 
mous region  was  under  the  command  of  Cap- 
tains Meriwether  Lewis  and  William  Clark. 
It  will  be  noted  that  both  of  these  officers  held 
the  same  rank.  Military  law  does  not  permit 
the  anomaly  of  equal  authority,  and  Clark  was 
really  the  junior,  but  in  point  of  fact  the  rights 
of  the  two  were  the  same.  They  were  so  con- 
siderate toward  each  other  that  no  difference 
ever  arose,  and  "the  actual  command  and  con- 
duct of  the  expedition  devolved  upon  each  in 
exactly  equal  degree." 

Lewis  belonged  to  an  old  Virginia  family  and 
early  displayed  enterprise,  boldness  and  dis- 
cretion. He  won  the  promotion  to  a  captaincy 
at  the  age  of  twenty-two,  and  was  barely  thirty 
years  of  age  when  called  to  take  part  in  this 
memorable  exploration.  Clark  was  also  a 
native  of  Virginia,  but  his  childhood  had  been 


294  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

spent  in  Kentucky,  whither  his  parents 
removed.  He  was  a  younger  brother  of  the 
more  famous  General  George  Eogers  Clark, 
but  for  whom  the  Allegheny  Mountains  instead 
of  the  Mississippi  would  have  been  our  western 
boundary  after  the  close  of  the  Ke volution. 
He  was  about  thirty-three  years  old  when  he 
joined  Lewis.  He  possessed  excellent  qualities, 
and  it  may  be  said  that  no  two  persons  could 
have  been  selected  who  were  better  fitted  to 
lead  the  score  and  a  half  of  men  across  the  con- 
tinent. 

On  July  5,  1803,  Captain  Lewis  left  Wash- 
ington, hoping  to  gather  his  men  and  materials 
in  time  to  reach  La  Charrette,  the  upper  white 
settlement  on  the  Missouri,  and  there  spend  the 
winter.  The  inevitable  delays  followed,  and 
the  Spanish  commandant  of  the  province,  not 
having  received  official  notice  of  the  transfer, 
would  not  allow  the  expedition  to  pass  through 
the  territory.  The  explorers,  therefore,  went 
into  camp  for  the  winter  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Du  Bois  Eiver,  a  little  north  of  St.  Louis,  on 
the  eastern  bank  of  the  Mississippi.  This  point 
was  left  on  May  14,  1804.  Entering  the  Indian 
country  the  leaders  held  a  council  with  the 


LEWIS  AND  CLARK'S  EXPEDITION.  295 

Ottoes  and  Missouris,  and  by  the  distribution 
of  gewgaws  and  presents  won  the  good  will  of 
the  red  men.  Lewis  and  Clark  named  the  place 
of  meeting  Council  Bluff,  which  is  retained  to 
this  day,  although  the  site  of  the  modern  city 
is  below  the  meeting  place  and  on  the  opposite, 
side  of  the  river.  ^ 

For  a  time  the  expedition  acted  the  part  of 
peacemaker  among  the  Indians.  The  officers 
patched  up  peace  agreements  between  the 
tribes  that  were  on  the  verge  of  warfare,  and 
made  treaties  with  the  Yankton  branch  of  the 
Sioux  and  the  Eicaras.  All  these  natives  were 
familiar  with  white  men,  having  known  both 
French  traders  and  the  employees  of  the  Brit- 
ish Fur  Company.  The  Indians  showed  a 
friendly  disposition  toward  the  explorers,  but 
their  wonder  was  unbounded  at  sight  of  the 
African  servant,  he  being  the  first  of  his  race 
they  had  ever  seen.  With  the  waggery  of  his 
nature  this  negro  gravely  informed  them  that 
he  was  really  a  wild  animal  that  had  been 
caught  and  tamed.  The  simple  folk  believed 
his  fantastic  yarns,  which  were  emphasized  by 
numerous  feats  of  strength  on  his  part. 

Progress  up  the  river  was  slow,  because  of 


296  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

the  many  sand  bars  and  numerous  curves  of 
the  stream.  The  hunters,  who  kept  in  advance, 
secured  large  quantities  of  fresh  meat,  and 
dried  a  good  deal  for  the  winter  supply.  The 
region  of  the  Mandans  was  reached  in  the 
latter  part  of  October.  There  a  fort  was  built 
and  occupied  during  the  winter.  This  was  in 
what  is  now  McLean  County,  North  Dakota. 
The  winter  was  very  severe,  and  many  of  the 
men  had  their  hands  and  feet  frostbitten, 
while  the  continual  glare  of  the  snow  caused  a 
temporary  blindness. 

At  this  fort  another  interpreter  was  engaged. 
He  was  a  Canadian,  whose  wife  was  a  member 
of  the  Snake  tribe  of  Indians  of  the  Eocky 
Mountains.  She  was  stolen  when  a  child  and 
brought  east,  where  she  was  bought  by  the 
Canadian,  who  made  her  his  wife.  She  was  a 
remarkable  woman,  and  the  only  one  of  her  sex 
who  accompanied  the  party.  When  she  set  out 
she  carried  an  infant  barely  two  months  old. 
She  not  only  stood  the  journey  as  well  as  any 
of  the  men,  but  displayed  a  rare  degree  of  intel- 
ligence. She  remembered  much  of  the  wild 
region  through  which  the  party  had  to  pass,  and 
smoothed  the  way  among  her  own  race  for  the 


LEWIS  AND  CLARK'S  EXPEDITION.  297 

white  invaders.  She  became  very  popular  with 
all  the  members,  and  deserved  the  praise  which 
the  leaders  gave  her. 

Six  canoes  were  soon  completed.  The  com- 
pany made  their  start  April  7,  1805,  sixteen 
going  down  stream  with  a  barge  laden  with 
curiosities  of  the  region  for  President  Jeffer- 
son, while  thirty-two  formed  the  permanent 
party,  which  pressed  into  the  great  unknown 
region  spreading  out  before  them.  The  names 
of  all  these  explorers  are  preserved  in  the 
archives  of  the  War  Department  under  the  title 
of  "A  roll  of  the  men  who  accompanied  Cap- 
tains Lewis  and  Clark  on  their  late  tour  to  the 
Pacific  Ocean  through  the  interior  of  the  conti- 
nent of  North  America,  showing  their  rank, 
with  some  remarks  on  their  respective  merits 
and  services." 

Early  as  was  the  season,  the  men  suffered 
much  from  mosquitoes.  Spring  kept  company 
with  the  expedition.  Herds  of  deer,  elk,  buffa- 
loes and  antelopes  were  seen  grazing  on  the  rich 
grass,  and  there  seemed  no  end  to  swans  and 
geese.  Passing  the  alkali  regions,  the  party 
reached,  in  the  latter  part  of  April,  the  mouth 
of  a  large  river,  to  which  they  gave  the  name  of 


298  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

Yellowstone.  Joseph  Fields,  of  Kentucky, 
ascended  it  for  eight  miles,  and  was  the  first 
white  man  to  do  so.  Eains,  high  winds  and  cold 
weather  welcomed  them  into  the  hills  of  Mon- 
tana, and  often  the  boats  had  to  be  dragged 
along  the  banks  by  means  of  elk-skin  cords. 
They  were  thus  laboriously  making  their  way 
when,  as  has  been  shown,  they  were  met  by 
Deerf  oot  and  the  Shelton  brothers  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Musselshell  Eiver. 

The  story  of  the  Lewis  and  Clark  expedition, 
therefore,  ended  for  George  and  Victor  Shelton 
at  the  point  named.  It  will  not  be  uninterest- 
ing, however,  to  sum  up  the  history  of  one  of 
the  most  memorable  enterprises  connected  with 
the  development  of  the  West.  Captains  Lewis 
and  Clark  gained  a  great  deal  of  valuable 
knowledge  from  the  boys,  who  had  traversed  a 
large  part  of  the  region  which  they  intended  to 
explore.  The  excellent  memories  and  the 
marked  intelligence  of  the  youths  were  admired 
by  the  officers. 

A  few  days  after  the  meeting  between  the  two 
parties  Lewis  climbed  to  the  top  of  the  highest 
elevation  north  of  the  river  and  gained  his  first 
view  of  the  Eocky  Mountains,  known  at  that 


LEVIS  AND  CLARK'S  EXPEDITION.  299 

time  as  the  Stony  Mountains.  All  the  numer- 
ous streams  were  described  and  named.  It  has 
been  charged  against  the  explorers  that  they 
were  lacking  in  sentiment  and  imagination,  for 
most  of  the  names  thus  given  by  them  have  been 
supplanted  by  others,  but  it  cannot  be  said  that 
these  changes  have  always  been  an  improve- 
ment. 

On  the  second  day  of  summer  the  explorers 
had  to  face  a  puzzling  problem.  A  large  branch 
flowing  from  the  north  was  so  similar  to  the 
Missouri  that  it  seemed  it  must  be  that  river, 
while  the  one  hitherto  accepted  as  such  bore  to 
the  south.  Which  was  the  branch  that,  accord- 
ing to  the  reports  of  the  Indians,  had  its  rise  in 
the  Rocky  Mountains,  near  the  source  of  the 
Columbia!  To  settle  the  question  the  party 
divided,  one  ascending  either  branch.  Upon 
reuniting  it  was  agreed  that  the  south  branch 
was  the  real  Missouri.  The  northern  stream 
was  named  the  Maria.  This  was  another  of  the 
few  instances  in  which  the  title  given  by  the 
explorers  stuck. 

The  rapids  five  miles  below  the  Falls  of  the 
Missouri  were  reached  on  June  15.  These  had 
to  be  passed  by  a  portage.  An  idea  can  be 


300  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

formed  of  the  great  difficulties  encountered 
when  it  is  stated  that,  although  the  portage  was 
hardly  eighteen  miles  long,  it  took  eleven  days 
to  make  it.  The  men,  however,  were  in  high 
spirits,  and  at  night  Peter  Cruzatte  added  to 
the  "gayety  of  nations"  by  playing  on  his 
violin. 

About  the  middle  of  August  horses  were 
obtained  from  the  tribe  from  which  the  Indian 
wife  of  the  interpreter  had  been  stolen.  The 
passage  through  the  mountains  or  over  the 
Divide  caused  the  greatest  suffering  of  the 
expedition.  The  men  had  to  cut  their  way  in 
many  places  through  the  brush,  clamber  over 
jagged  stones  and  climb  such  precipitous  walls 
that  several  of  their  horses  were  crippled.  Then 
snow  began  falling  and  the  nights  became  very 
cold.  Game  seemed  to  have  deserted  the  coun- 
try, and  the  sufferers  had  to  eat  all  their  supply 
of  flour  and  parched  corn.  Beginning  with  Sep- 
tember 14,  they  were  obliged  to  kill  and  eat 
some  of  their  horses,  and  even  at  that  had  to  be 
very  sparing  or  the  supply  would  have  been 
exhausted. 

Descending  the  western  side  of  the  moun- 
tains, however,  they  found  abundant  edible 


LEWIS  AND  CLARK'S  EXPEDITION.  301 

roots,  dried  salmon  and  dried  berries  at  the 
Indian  villages.  The  famishing  men  feasted  so 
ravenously  that  most  of  them  became  ill.  New 
canoes  were  constructed,  and  leaving  their 
horses  with  a  chief  they  started  down  the  Clear- 
water  and  reached  the  Columbia  on  October  16. 
Ten  days  were  occupied  in  making  the  portage 
of  the  falls  and  rapids,  and  on  the  morning  of 
November  7,  when  the  fog  lifted,  they  saw  in  the 
distance  the  Pacific  Ocean. 

A  month  later  the  party  went  into  winter 
quarters.  It  rained  eternally,  the  weather  was 
chilly  and  their  condition  for  a  long  time  was 
miserable  in  the  extreme.  The  shelter  built  for 
themselves  was  called  Fort  Clatsop.  There 
they  remained  until  March  23,  1806,  when  the 
explorers  set  out  on  their  return  journey.  They 
had  to  face  difficulties,  hardships  and  sufferings 
again,  but  they  had  learned  from  experience 
and  were  better  prepared  to  do  so.  They 
embarked  on  the  Yellowstone  July  24,  and  ten 
days  later  reached  its  junction  with  the  Mis- 
souri. At  this  point  the  men  were  driven  almost 
frantic  by  the  mosquitoes.  At  midday,  Sep- 
tember 23,  1806,  they  arrived  at  St.  Louis, 
where  the  whole  town  turned  out  to  welcome 


302  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

them.  There  the  party  was  disbanded,  and, 
passing  to  their  various  destinations,  the  Lewis 
and  Clark  expedition  took  its  place  in  history. 

During  the  latter  part  of  the  chat  between 
Lewis  and  Clark,  Deerfoot  came  quietly  for- 
ward and  sat  down  beside  the  Shelton  boys.  He 
listened  closely  to  all  that  was  said.  When  the 
officers  asked  questions,  the  Shawanoe  left  the 
answers  to  the  brothers.  But  more  than  once 
they  were  in  doubt,  and  turned  to  him  for  aid. 
His  prompt  response  in  every  instance  was 
noticed  by  the  officers,  who,  after  a  time, 
addressed  their  questions  almost  wholly  to  him. 

Finally,  at  a  late  hour,  the  visitors  wrapped 
themselves  in  their  blankets  and  stretched  out 
on  the  ground,  with  their  feet  turned  toward 
the  blaze.  The  explorers  always  maintained  a 
watch,  for  though  they  felt  no  fear  of  the 
Indians  they  were  subject  to  unpleasant  visits, 
as  in  the  case  when  a  bison  swam  a  river  and 
went  plunging  like  a  steam  engine  through  the 
camp.  Moreover,  the  men  had  seen  enough  of 
the  grizzly  bear  to  hold  him  in  respectful  awe, 
and  they  did  not  intend  to  have  any  of  the 
brutes  steal  a  march  upon  them. 

The  moaning  was  clear  and  pleasant,  and  the 


LEWIS  AND  CLARK'S  EXPEDITION.  303 

explorers  were  astir  at  an  early  hour.  A  break- 
fast was  made  from  catfish  and  goose,  and  a 
cordial  farewell  took  place.  The  boys  wished 
Captains  Lewis  and  Clark  the  best  of  fortune, 
and  Lewis  complimented  them,  and  especially 
Deerfoot,  for  the  information  they  had  given 
him  of  the  region  through  which  they  expected 
to  force  their  way.  In  return,  Lewis  advised 
his  guests  to  bear  directly  to  the  south  and  not 
to  follow  the  course  of  the  Missouri,  as  he  and 
his  company  had  done.  In  fact,  it  would  have 
been  absurd  for  the  three  to  adopt  any  other 
plan.  They  could  make  no  use  of  the  current 
because  they  had  no  boats,  and  if  they  procured 
them  from  the  Indians  they  could  not  be  made 
to  carry  the  horses.  The  distance  was  much 
greater  by  the  Lewis  and  Clark  route,  which 
held  no  attractions  to  our  friends.  When,  there- 
fore, Victor  Shelton  told  Captain  Lewis  that  his 
advice  would  be  followed,  he  said  that  which 
had  been  determined  upon  before  the  meeting 
of  the  two  parties. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

OVERBOARD. 

OUR  friends,  after  parting  with  the  Lewis 
and  Clark  expedition,  pressed  south- 
ward, in  search  of  a  milder  climate  and 
a  more  direct  route  to  their  homes.  They  were 
traversing  a  region  hroken  hy  many  streams, 
detached  mountain  spurs  and  ranges  of  lofty 
elevation.  Black  Butte,  as  it  is  known  to-day, 
in  Dawson  County,  Montana,  was  left  on  the 
left,  after  which  they  rode  through  the  valley  of 
Little  Porcupine  Creek  to  the  Yellowstone, 
which  was  crossed  with  considerable  difficulty. 
Turning  more  to  the  east,  they  passed  the 
rough,  precipitous  section,  the  scene  many 
years  afterward  of  the  appalling  Custer  massa- 
cre, and  now  an  immense  Indian  reservation, 
and,  entering  the  present  State  of  Wyoming, 
skirted  the  foothills  of  the  well-known  Big 
Horn  range.  Here  the  scenery  was  of  the 
grandest  character.  Had  the  party  not  been 
accustomed  for  months  to  such  impressive  exhi- 

304 


OVERBOARD.  305 

bitions  of  the  majesty  of  nature,  they  could  have 
spent  weeks  of  enjoyment  where  the  like  is 
found  in  few  parts  of  the  world.  They  pushed 
on,  however,  not  making  what  might  be  termed 
a  real  halt  until  they  came  to  the  Laramie 
Mountains,  almost  the  equal  of  the  former  in 
picturesque  beauty. 

By  this  time  the  unremitting  hard  work 
began  to  tell  upon  the  horses.  Zigzag  showed 
slight  lameness,  and  Jack,  the  animal  ridden  by 
George  Shelton,  surely  needed  rest.  Only 
Whirlwind  continued  as  powerful,  active  and 
fresh  as  ever.  Deerfoot  and  the  boys  always 
walked  a  number  of  miles  each  day,  not  only 
for  the  sake  of  the  horses,  but  to  gain  the  exer- 
cise each  needed.  Deerfoot  ran  races  with 
Whirlwind,  who  was  inconsiderate  enough  to 
beat  him  every  time.  Sometimes  they  frolicked 
like  a  couple  of  boys.  The  Shawanoe  delighted 
to  tease  the  noble  creature,  who  delighted  to 
have  him  do  so.  One  habit  of  the  youth  was  to 
pretend  he  was  offended  with  the  stallion.  He 
would  turn  his  back  upon  him  and  repel  his 
advances  toward  a  reconciliation.  Whirlwind 
would  poke  his  nose  first  over  one  shoulder  and 
then  the  other,  rubbing  it  against  the  cheek  of 


306  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

Deerfoot.  If  the  latter  sulked  too  long,  Whirl- 
wind would  show  his  impatience  by  flirting  his 
head  against  that  of  the  youth,  whirling  about, 
kicking  up  his  heels  and  galloping  off.  No 
words  could  have  said  more  plainly: 

"I  don't  care.  Pout  all  you  want  to.  I 
shan't  coax  you  any  more.  I  haven't  much 
opinion  of  you  anyway." 

And  then  Deerfoot  had  to  make  peace  with 
his  offended  majesty.  But  the  stallion  never 
held  off  long,  and  George  and  Victor  laughed  at 
the  antics  of  the  couple. 

The  halt  of  which  I  have  spoken  was  made 
one  afternoon,  near  the  southern  end  of  the 
Laramie  range.  No  more  favorable  spot  could 
have  been  selected,  for  the  grass  was  abundant 
and  of  the  best  quality.  A  stream  of  consid- 
erable size  issued  from  the  mountains  and  flow- 
ing northeast  joined  the  North  Platte,  a  hun- 
dred miles  away,  and  there  was  enough  timber 
to  yield  all  the  fuel  needed.  The  horses  were 
unsaddled  and  unbridled,  the  pack  removed 
from  the  back  of  Zigzag  and  the  three  owners 
were  at  liberty  to  do  whatever  they  chose  to 
pass  away  the  hours.  It  was  so  late  that  they 
stayed  in  camp  till  morning,  when  it  was 


OVERBOARD.  307 

decided  to  set  off  on  a  hunt,  Deerf oot  going  by 
himself,  while  the  brothers,  as  usual,  kept  com- 
pany. 

There  had  hardly  been  a  day  since  parting 
from  Lewis  and  Clark  that  our  friends  had  not 
seen  Indians  or  signs  of  them.  Sometimes  it  was 
the  smoke  of  their  camp  fires  in  the  distance,  and 
then  they  caught  sight  of  a  band  of  horsemen, 
who  might  number  three  or  four  or  five  times  as 
many  warriors.  It  was  the  rule  of  Deerfoot  to 
avoid  coming  in  contact  with  these  wanderers, 
so  long  as  he  could  do  so  without  rousing  their 
suspicion  by  his  actions.  While  in  a  general 
way  the  strangers  could  be  counted  upon  as 
friendly,  they  contained  a  ratio  of  lawless  if 
not  desperate  characters,  who  were  liable  to  be 
tempted  by  the  hope  of  plunder.  Whirlwind 
was  quite  sure  to  attract  envious  eyes.  More- 
over, the  party  was  now  in  a  region  which  was 
visited,  more  or  less,  by  trappers  and  hunters 
in  the  employ  of  fur  companies,  or  who  operated 
independently.  The  majority  of  these  men  were 
rough  and  reckless  of  the  rights  of  others. 
They  had  little  faith  in  the  Golden  Eule  where 
Indians  were  concerned,  and  affrays  between 
them  and  the  native  inhabitants  were  numerous. 


308  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

Many  a  white  man  who  went  into  the  mountains 
never  came  out  again.  He  fell  a  victim  to  his 
own  wrongdoing  and  received  the  fate  he  had 
invited  so  long.  Others  succeeded  in  getting 
through  the  lines  with  their  pack  animals  laden 
with  peltries,  to  St.  Louis,  to  return  again  the 
following  autumn  and  to  face  and  overcome,  or 
possibly  fail  to  overcome,  the  perils  they  had 
met  so  often. 

The  sun  was  shining  from  a  clear,  balmy  sky, 
for  summer  had  come,  when  Deerfoot  swept 
every  portion  of  the  visible  horizon  with  the 
spyglass  without  detecting  a  sign  of  red  men. 
To  the  westward  towered  the  immense  Laramie 
range,  while  the  plains  stretched  eastward  and 
were  crossed  by  numerous  streams,  on  whose 
banks  thriving  towns  and  cities  have  been  built 
in  later  days.  Less  than  a  hundred  miles  to  tl_ ;: 
southeast  was  the  site  of  the  present  city  of 
Cheyenne. 

Before  reaching  the  scene  of  this  encampment 
the  travelers  had  twice  come  within  range  of 
grizzly  bears.  The  first  was  ignored,  but  the 
second  did  not  choose  to  be  passed  by  in  such 
cavalier  fashion.  He  first  appeared  close  to 
camp,  much  to  the  terror  of  the  horses,  and  then 


OVERBOARD.  309 

deliberately  proceeded  to  attack  everything  in 
sight.  He  came  within  a  hair,  too,  of  killing 
Zigzag  and  Prince  before  he  was  brought  low  by 
the  bullets  of  all  three,  Deerf  oot  burying  two  in 
the  colossal  carcass. 

Black  and  cinnamon  bears  were  observed,  but 
no  disturbance  followed  on  the  part  of  men  or 
brutes.  Several  times  the  wolves,  coyotes  and 
pumas  became  so  troublesome  that  a  number 
were  killed.  Bison  'were  so  plentiful  that 
hardly  a  day  passed  without  sight  of  them.  In 
some  instances  the  droves  contained  tens  of 
thousands. 

George  and  Victor  Shelton  soon  found  them- 
selves climbing  among  the  foothills.  Deerfoot 
had  gone  in  another  direction,  the  agreement 
being  that  they  should  return  to  camp  soon 
after  meridian,  and  not  to  go  far  from  head- 
quarters. While  none  felt  misgiving  as  to  dan- 
ger, all  had  learned  to  be  circumspect. 

It  may  be  said  that  the  stroll  of  the  boys  was 
as  much  to  gain  exercise  as  to  hunt  game, 
though  the  latter  object  was  the  one  avowed  by 
them.  In  those  days  a  person  did  not  have  to 
look  far  for  such  sport,  but  it  seemed  as  if  the 
wild  animals  scented  the  danger  and  kept  out 


310  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

of  the  way.  When  noon  came  the  tired  boys  sat 
down  beside  a  mountain  torrent,  without  either 
having  fired  his  rifle. 

"We  haven't  heard  the  report  of  Deerfoot's 
gun,"  said  George,  "and  I  don't  see  that  there 
is  any  use  of  hunting  further. ' ' 

"  Nor  do  I.  I  'm  hungry  and  we  shan  't  be  able 
to  get  anything  to  eat  this  side  of  camp.  It 
must  be  the  game  noticed  that  7  was  with  you, 
and  they  have  all  run  to  their  holes." 

"We  have  one  consolation,"  remarked 
George,  ignoring  the  last  sentence.  "It  will  be 
easier  getting  back  to  camp,  for  it's  down  hill 
all  the  way." 

"But  we  shall  have  a  good  deal  of  climbing 
to  do.  I'm  ready  to  say  I've  gained  enough 
exercise  to  last  me  till  to-morrow.  I  think," 
added  Victor,  rising  to  his  feet  and  looking  at 
the  noisy  torrent  a  few  feet  in  front,  "that  we 
can  shorten  the  distance  by  crossing  that." 

"How  are  we  going  to  do  it?  We're  not 
likely  to  find  it  bridged. ' ' 

"I'm  sure  we  shall  be  able  to  leap  across." 

The  two  walked  to  the  edge  of  the  stream, 
which  may  be  described  as  a  furious  torrent, 
rushing  between  the  rocks,  which  were  sepa- 


OVERBOARD.  3JJ 

rated  by  a  dozen  feet,  the  upper  margin  being 
one  or  two  feet  above  the  surface  of  the  stream. 
Standing  on  the  edge  of  the  small  canon  and 
looking  down,  the  boys  saw  that  the  water  was 
of  crystalline  clearness  and  was  beaten  in  many 
places  into  froth  and  foam,  which  sparkled  with 
every  color  of  the  rainbow  as  it  shot  into  the 
sunlight.  The  course  of  the  torrent  was  so  tor- 
tuous and  the  turns  so  abrupt  that  clouds  of 
mist  curled  upward  in  places  and  caused  the 
rocks  to  drip  with  moisture.  The  roar  was  so 
loud  that  the  brothers  had  to  shout  to  each 
other. 

"We  might  make  a  running  leap  here,"  said 
George,  "but  it  isn't  worth  while  to  take  the 
risk." 

"There  must  be  narrower  portions.  Let's 
look." 

Turning  to  the  left,  they  had  to  go  only  a  little 
way  when  they  found  a  favorable  place.  The 
breadth  was  no  more  than  seven  or  eight  feet. 
While  they  could  not  shorten  the  distance  to 
camp  very  much,  the  advantage  was  worth 
striving  for. 

"No  risk  in  that,"  remarked  Victor,  looking 
at  his  brother,  who  nodded  his  head  to  signify 
he  agreed  with  him. 


3J2  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

"1*11  jump  first,"  added  Victor,  walking  back 
several  paces  to  gain  the  necessary  start.  He 
could  have  made  the  leap  without  this  prepara- 
tion, but  was  using  only  ordinary  prudence. 
George  stood  to  one  side  and  close  to  the  edge, 
so  as  to  observe  every  phase  of  the  perform- 
ance. Despite  the  apparent  safety  of  the 
attempt,  a  strange  misgiving  came  over  George, 
and  he  turned  to  his  brother  to  protest,  when 
he  saw  he  had  started  on  his  brief  run.  He 
carried  his  rifle  in  his  right  hand,  took  a  num- 
ber of  short  steps,  measuring  the  distance  with 
his  eye,  so  that  the  take-off  should  be  exact,  and 
covered  the  space  in  a  second  or  two. 

George  was  watching  every  movement  of  the 
supple  limbs,  when  he  uttered  an  exclamation 
of  horror.  At  the  very  moment  Victor  was 
gathering  his  muscles  for  the  leap,  and  when 
close  to  the  edge,  the  dripping  stone  caused  his 
foot  to  slip.  He  fell  sideways,  let  go  of  his 
rifle,  which  shot  over  the  edge,  and  desperately 
struggled  to  check  himself.  Had  there  been  five 
seconds  at  command  he  would  have  been  saved. 
George,  who  made  the  attempt,  could  have 
dashed  forward  and  grasped  a  foot  or  leg.  Vic- 
tor could  have  stopped,  but  the  rock  on  which 


OVERBOARD.  3J3 

he  had  fallen  seemed  to  be  covered  with  plum- 
bago. While  frantically  clutching  and  vainly 
trying  to  grasp  some  obstruction  that  would 
overcome  his  momentum,  he  slid  over  the  edge 
and  dropped  into  the  boiling  cauldron  below. 
The  accident  was  begun  and  finished,  as  may  be 
said,  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye. 

Wild  with  affright,  George  ran  to  the  edge 
of  the  torrent  and  peered  over.  He  caught  a 
glimpse  of  his  brother  a  dozen  yards  away, 
spinning  down  the  torrent.  He  saw  his  head  for 
a  moment,  and  then  his  arms  thrown  upward,  as 
he  disappeared,  blindly  but  vainly  struggling  to 
save  himself.  In  an  instant  he  was  whirled 
round  a  bend  in  the  canon,  his  body  flung  aloft 
by  the  resistless  force  of  the  torrent,  but  hurled 
hither  and  thither,  as  helpless  as  a  log  of  wood. 

Frantic  and  hardly  conscious  of  what  he  was 
doing,  George  dashed  along  the  edge  of  the 
canon,  which  sped  faster  than  he  could  run. 
One  moment  he  was  on  the  point  of  leaping  into 
the  raging  waters  in  the  blind  effort  to  save  Vic- 
tor, but  the  certainty  that  that  would  only  add 
another  victim  held  him  in  restraint,  and  he 
continued  running,  stumbling  and  praying  in 
agony  for  Heaven  to  intercede  while  it  was  yet 
time. 


3J4  OEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

Suddenly  he  saw  a  man  standing  on  the  other 
side  of  the  canon  some  rods  below,  and  staring 
wonderingly  at  him.  George  raised  his  voice  so 
that  it  pierced  the  uproar  like  the  notes  of  a 
trumpet : 

"Save  him!  Save  him!  He  fell  into  the 
water!" 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

JACK  HALLOWAY  AGAIN. 

THE  man  was  quick-witted.  The  words  and 
the  frenzied  gestures  told  a  story  which 
he  understood.  Standingclose  to  the  edge 
of  the  stream,  he  peered  into  it  and  caught  sight 
of  a  white  face,  loosely  flapping  limbs  and  the 
helpless  drift  of  a  human  being,  borne  toward 
him  with  the  speed  of  a  race  horse.  The  top  of 
the  bank  was  so  near  the  surface  that  the  man 
dropped  on  his  face,  so  as  to  be  able  to  reach 
forward  and  downward  to  the  foaming  torrent. 

He  saw  the  body  coming,  and  braced  himself 
for  the  herculean  effort  that  would  be  necessary 
in  the  next  breath.  Reaching  so  far  that  he  was 
in  danger  of  losing  his  own  balance,  he  coolly 
awaited  the  critical  moment.  Then  his  big  hand 
closed  like  the  paw  of  a  grizzly  bear  on  the 
shoulder  of  Victor  Shelton.  A  tremendous 
wrench  and  he  was  dragged  out  and  dropped 
limp  and  senseless  at  the  feet  of  his  rescuer. 

George  Shelton  saw  this  much,  and,  hardly 

315 


3J6  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

knowing  what  lie  was  doing,  made  a  desperate 
effort  to  leap  the  chasm,  that  he  might  join  the 
couple.  But  his  foot  slipped,  too,  and  only  by  a 
superhuman  effort  did  he  save  himself  from 
tumbling  into  the  swirling  wrath  of  water. 
Scrambling  to  his  feet,  he  sped  downward  to 
Victor  and  the  stranger.  The  latter  showed  his 
coolness  by  getting  to  work  without  the  least 
delay.  Victor  was  senseless  and  had  swallowed 
a  good  deal  of  water.  He  seemed  to  be 
drowned. 

The  man  held  him  by  the  heels  and  was  stand- 
ing him  on  his  head.  Then  he  rolled  him  over 
and  pressed  his  chest,  with  that  oscillation 
which  is  helpful  in  restoring  seemingly  drowned 
persons,  while  the  breathless  George  stood  idly 
by  watching  everything  with  straining  eyes.  He 
could  do  nothing  but  pray  and  hope. 

At  the  end  of  a  minute  or  two  he  saw,  with  joy 
unspeakable,  the  signs  of  returning  life.  Victor 
was  on  his  back,  as  if  dead,  when  he  partly 
opened  his  eyes ;  but  there  was  no  expression  in 
them.  His  rescuer  was  scrutinizing  the  lad's 
face  and  noted  the  awakening  of  consciousness. 
Straightening  up,  he  said  with  a  sigh : 

"He's  all  right  now;  but  he  couldn't  have 
come  nigher  pegging  out." 


JACK  HALLOWAY  AGAIN,  3J7 

66  You  have  saved  him !  You  have  saved  him ! 
Oh,  how  can  I  thank  you?" 

And  yielding  to  the  reaction,  George  sobbed 
like  a  child.  The  stranger  looked  at  him  with- 
out speaking,  and  gave  his  attention  again  to 
the  prostrate  form.  Victor  speedily  regained 
his  senses,  and,  with  a  little  help  from  the  man, 
sat  up.  He  stared  wonderingly  at  his  new 
friend  and  then  at  his  brother,  striving  man- 
fully to  master  his  emotions.  With  the  wag- 
gery that  cropped  up  at  the  most  unexpected 
times,  he  turned  to  George  with  the  question : 

"Are  you  crying  because  he  saved  my  life?" 

"I'm  crying  for  joy.  I  had  given  up  all 
hope." 

"So  had  I.  I  tell  you  I  came  pretty  near 
being  a  goner.  Please  help  me  up. ' ' 

George  took  his  hand  and  almost  lifted  Victor 
to  his  feet.  As  he  came  up  he  made  a  grimace, 
because  of  the  pain  that  wrenched  him.  He  was 
so  battered  and  bruised  that  the  wonder  was 
that  several  bones  had  not  been  broken. 

"Where's  my  rifle?"  suddenly  asked  Victor, 
looking  about  him. 

"In  the  bottom  of  the  canon,  I  reckon." 

"Mebbe  you'd  like  to  make  a  dive  for  it," 
suggested  the  man. 


3J8  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

"No,  I've  had  enough  of  that.  How  shall  1 
thank  you  for  what  you  have  done?" 

"By  not  saying  anything  about  it.  By  a  piece 
of  good  luck  I  happened  to  be  on  the  spot  in  time 
to  give  you  a  lift." 

The  boys  now  looked  more  closely  at  the  Good 
Samaritan.  He  was  attired  in  the  dress  com- 
mon among  the  trappers  and  hunters  of  the 
Northwest  in  those  days,  and  was  a  magnificent 
specimen  of  physical  manhood,  being  fully  six 
feet  in  height,  with  a  broad,  massive  frame  and 
an  immense  grizzled  beard,  which  flowed  over 
his  chest  and  covered  his  face  almost  to  the 
eyes.  He  had  laid  down  his  long,  formidable 
rifle  when  he  hurried  to  the  rescue  of  the  boy, 
and  he  now  stooped  and  picked  up  the  weapon. 
Moving  back  a  few  paces,  so  as  to  get  beyond 
the  noise  made  by  the  rushing  waters,  he  said,  in 
his  gruff  but  not  unpleasant  voice : 

"Tell  me  how  this  thing  happened." 

George  briefly  gave  the  particulars  of  the 
mishap,  to  which  the  man  silently  listened. 

"You  ain't  the  only  younker  or  man  either 
who  has  lost  all  by  a  little  slip.  The  next  time 
you  want  to  make  a  big  jump  be  sure  of  your 
footing.  What  are  you  two  chaps  doing  in  this 
part  of  the  world?" 


JACK  HALLOWAY  AGAIN.  3J9 

"We  have  been  across  the  continent,  almost 
to  the  Pacific,  and  are  now  on  the  way  to  our 
home  in  Ohio." 

"You  ain't  traveling  alone,  are  you?" 

"No;  we  have  a  companion,  who  is  off  some- 
where in  the  mountains,  but  will  soon  join  us  in 
camp." 

"  'Pears  to  me  you've  been  on  a  powerful 
long  tramp." 

"We  have.  We  spent  last  winter  among  the 
Blackfeet,  and  are  homesick." 

"I  reckon  your  camp  ain't  fur  off,  and  we 
may  as  well  go  there." 

"We  shall  be  glad  to  have  you  with  us,  for 
you  have  proved  the  best  of  friends." 

"Thar!  Thar!  Drop  that;  talk  about  some- 
thing else." 

When  Victor  tried  to  walk  he  had  to  lean  on 
the  shoulder  of  his  brother,  and  the  pain  from 
his  bruises  compelled  him  at  times  to  stop  and 
rest.  The  burly  trapper  offered  to  help,  but 
Victor  thanked  him  and  got  on  quite  well  with 
the  assistance  of  George.  The  man  walked  a 
few  paces  behind  the  two,  that  he  might  not 
hurry  them  too  much,  and  because  it  belonged  to 
the  boys  to  act  as  guide. 


320  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

"Who  is  the  man  youVe  got  with  you?" 

"He  is  a  young  Shawanoe  Indian  named 
Deerfoot,"  replied  George  Shelton. 

"What!"  exclaimed  the  trapper,  stopping  as 
if  shot.  "Do  you  mean  that  handsome  young 
warrior  who  went  through  the  country  below  us 
last  summer  with  a  Blackfoot  redskin  and  two 
younkers?" 

"The  same.  We  are  the  boys  that  were  with 
him." 

"Wai,  I'll  be  skulped!"  added  the  other,  as 
if  he  could  not  do  justice  to  his  feelings.  "I 
never  dreamed  of  anything  like  that." 

"Like  what?"  asked  George. 

"Seeing  that  Shawanoe  agin.  Say,  he's  a 
great  one,  ain't  he?" 

"You  know  him,  then?" 

"Wai,  I  reckon.  He  done  me  the  greatest 
favor  of  my  life — greater  than  what  I  done  that 
chap  of  yourn  a  little  while  ago. ' ' 

"I  don't  see  how  that  can  be,"  remarked  the 
limping  Victor;"  "but  Deerfoot  is  always  doing 
good  to  others." 

"Didn't  he  ever  tell  you  anything  about 

"You  haven't  told  us  your  name." 

"I'm  Jack  Halloway." 


HALLOW  AY  AGAIN.  32) 

The  boys  agreed  that  they  had  never  heard 
the  Shawanoe  mention  him  by  name.  Victor 
added : 

"He  is  the  last  one  to  speak  of  his  good  deeds, 
and  he  doesn't  like  to  hear  anyone  else  speak 
of  them.' ' 

"He'll  hear  some  one  talk  when  I  see  him," 
chuckled  the  trapper,  with  a  shaking  of  his  her- 
culean shoulders. 

Because  of  Victor's  hurts  the  descent  among 
the  foothills  to  camp  took  a  long  time,  and  the 
afternoon  was  well  gone  when  the  three  reached 
headquarters.  While  a  little  way  off  the  three 
caught  sight  of  the  Shawanoe,  who  had  started 
a  fire  and  was  broiling  buffalo  steak  for  supper. 
He  looked  with  surprise  at  sight  of  Victor  lean- 
ing on  the  shoulder  of  his  brother  and  walking 
with  difficulty,  and  at  the  towering  form  behind 
them.  Ceasing  his  work,  he  came  forward  to 
greet  the  party.  He  paid  no  attention  to  the 
man  until  George  Shelton  told  of  the  mishap 
in  which  the  life  of  Victor  was  saved  by  the  per- 
son behind  them. 

During  this  brief  interchange  the  trapper 
kept  in  the  background,  with  his  eyes  on  the 
Shawanoe.  Needless  to  say,  Deerfoot  had  rec- 
V  a 


322  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

ognized  him  at  the  first  glance.  Not  suspecting 
this,  the  man  now  came  forward,  the  moving  of 
the  beard  about  his  mouth  showing  that  he  was 
grinning  and  chuckling. 

"I  reckon  you  don't  remember  me,  Deer- 
foot.  " 

"Deerfoot  could  never  forget  his  brother, 
Jack  Halloway,"  replied  the  youth,  extending 
his  hand,  which  was  warmly  grasped  by  the 
trapper. 

"I'm  powerful  glad  to  meet  you  agin,  Shawa- 
noe,  though  I  hadn't  much  hope  of  ever  doing 
so.  Talk  about  friends,  you  beat  'em  all,  and 
I'll  be  skulped  if  you  don't  look  handsomer  than 
ever — no  you  don't,  for  that  couldn't  be.  Shake 
agin,  pardner." 

Deerfoot  was  as  pleased  to  meet  his  old 
acquaintance  as  the  latter  was  to  see  him.  All 
seated  themselves  on  the  ground  about  the 
blaze,  and  as  night  had  not  yet  come  the  meal 
was  deferred  until  more  was  learned  of  what 
had  taken  place  during  the  interval  between  the 
former  meeting  and  the  present  coming 
together. 

"Why  is  my  brother  in  the  mountains  at  this 
season  of  the  year?"  asked  Deerfoot,  when  the 
trapper  had  lit  his  pipe. 


JACK  HALLOVAY  AGAIN.  323 

Of  course  cold  weather  is  the  time  for  trap- 
ping fur-bearing  animals.  The  custom  in  the 
olden  days  was  for  the  hunters  to  go  into  the 
mountains  in  the  autumn,  spend  the  time  until 
spring  in  gathering  peltries,  and  then  bring 
them  to  civilization  for  sale.  It  was  now  sum- 
mer, and  it  was  not  to  be  supposed  that  Jack 
Halloway  was  engaged  on  professional  business 
in  the  Laramie  Mountains.  He  explained: 

"Last  fall  I  took  a  partner — Dick  Burley  by 
name — and  we  put  in  the  winter  among  the 
beaver  runs  and  mountains  over  to  the  north- 
west. We  done  so  poor  that  I  let  Dick  start 
with  the  pack  animals  for  St.  Louis,  without  me 
going  with  him.  He  hadn't  more  than  half  a 
load,  and  we  made  up  our  minds  that  we'd  got  to 
find  new  trapping  grounds  or  we  shouldn't 
make  enough  to  pay  for  our  salt.  So  me  and 
Dick  parted  and  IVe  been  on  the  tramp  for  two 
months. ' ' 

"How  did  you  make  out?"  asked  Victor,  who, 
having  found  an  easy  position  for  his  aching 
body,  felt  it  his  duty  to  join  in  the  discussion. 

"I  hit  it  when  I  came  to  this  part  of  the  coun- 
try. A  few  miles  south  are  hundreds  of  beaver, 
foxes,  otter  and  other  critters  whose  furs  we're 


324  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

after.  I  don 't  think  a  single  one  of  'em  has  ever 
been  trapped.  There 's  where  me  and  Dick  will 
try  it  next  fall." 

6 '  Then  you  will  soon  go  home  1 ' ' 

"I  intended  to  start  to-morrow.  My  horse  is 
a  little  way  back  among  the  foothills,  stuffing 
himself  with  enough  grass  to  last  him  a  week." 

"My  brother  will  go  with  us,"  said  the 
pleased  Deerfoot. 

"If  you  don't  feel  too  proud  to  have  me  for 
company,  I'll  be  mighty  glad  to  go  with  you." 

"Nothing  will  suit  us  better,"  said  George, 
heartily.  It  was  natural  that  he  and  Victor 
should  feel  profoundly  grateful  to  the  trapper. 
Even  had  he  not  done  them  so  measureless  a 
service  they  would  have  liked  him  from  the  first. 

It  was  not  until  the  night  had  fully  come,  the 
evening  meal  eaten  and  the  fire  replenished, 
though  the  weather  remained  mild,  that  a  full 
interchange  took  place  among  the  different 
members  of  the  little  party.  Victor  suffered 
less  from  his  bruises,  and  with  his  blanket 
wrapped  about  his  shoulders  showed  no  effects 
from  his  terrifying  adventure.  The  horses 
were  left  to  themselves,  Jack  Halloway  saying 
that  no  attention  need  be  given  to  his,  despite 


JACK  HALLOWAY  AGAIN.  325 

the  possibility  of  some  thieving  Indian  making 
off  with  him.  The  trapper  expressed  unbounded 
admiration  of  Whirlwind,  and  could  not  under- 
stand how  Deerfoot  had  ever  gained  such  a 
piece  of  property.  George  and  Victor  did  not 
dare  to  explain  in  the  presence  of  the  Shawanoe, 
but  each  determined  to  do  so  on  the  first  oppor- 
tunity, despite  the  risk  of  another  "disciplin- 
ing"  at  the  hands  of  the  modest  youth. 

After  Jack  had  smoked  awhile  and  the  chat 
had  gone  on  without  any  special  point,  he  turned 
to  the  Shawanoe  and  said: 

"IVe  seen  you  stealing  a  look  at  me  now  and 
then  and  I  know  what  you  done  it  for. ' ' 

"  Yes,  Deerfoot  did  so ;  but  my  brother  cannot 
tell  the  reason. ' ' 

"You've  been  trying  to  find  out  from  my 
looks  whether  IVe  stuck  to  the  pledge  I  made 
you  a  year  ago  to  give  up  drinking  whiskey. ' ' 

"That  was  the  reason;  Deerfoot  was  almost 
but  not  quite  certain." 

"  Have  you  any  doubts  left  ? ' ' 

The  Shawanoe  smiled. 

"Only  a  shadow." 

"Wai,  you  can  kick  that  shadow  out  of  sight! 
I  haven't  drank  a  drop  of  the  stuff  since  that 


326  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

night,  a  year  ago,  when  I  flung  my  flask  into  the 
creek,  after  hearing  your  sermon,  that  shook  me 
down  to  my  toes." 

Deerfoot  leaned  over  and  offered  his  hand 
again  to  happy  Jack  Halloway,  who  turned  to 
the  boys. 

"  Being  as  he  never  told  you,  I  might  as  well 
give  you  the  story." 

Thereupon  the  trapper  related  in  his  charac- 
teristic fashion  the  incident  of  which  you  heard 
long  ago.  The  eyes  of  the  boys  kindled  and  Vic- 
tor said: 

"That  is  only  one  of  a  hundred  things  Deer- 
foot  has  done." 

Catching  a  warning  look  from  the  Shawanoe, 
Victor  said  in  desperation : 

"I'm  not  going  to  try  to  give  a  list,  Deerfoot, 
but  won't  you  let  me  tell  Jack  how  you  whipped 
the  greatest  war  chief  of  the  Blackfeet  and  how 
he  became  a  Christian?" 

"There  is  no  need  of  that,  but  my  brothers 
may  tell  what  happened  to  them  when  they  dis- 
obeyed Deerfoot." 

"I'll  do  that  if  you  don't  shut  down  on  the 
other  story." 

The  Shawanoe  would  have  refused,  but  the 


JACK  HALLOVAY  AGAIN.  227 

trapper's  curiosity  had  been  stirred  and  he 
insisted  upon  hearing  of  the  incident.  As  a 
compromise  the  Indian  youth  rose  to  his  feet 
and  sauntered  out  to  where  Whirlwind  was  still 
cropping  the  juicy  herbage.  He  would  not  stay 
and  listen  to  what  he  knew  was  about  to  be  said. 
The  boys  were  glad  to  have  him  absent,  for  it 
left  them  free  to  speak  what  they  pleased,  and 
you  may  be  sure  that  Victor  and  George  did  not 
mince  matters.  Their  account  of  that  remark- 
able combat  and  its  results  was  told  with 
graphic  eloquence.  Then  George  added  the 
story  of  Deerfoot 's  encounter  with  the  grizzly 
bear  and  his  defeat  of  the  Assiniboine,  whose 
life  he  spared.  Inasmuch  as  the  boys  had  never 
been  able  to  draw  the  particulars  of  that  com- 
bat from  Deerfoot,  Victor  had  to  embellish  it 
with  his  own  imagination,  and  he  did  it  to  per- 
fection. He  was  in  the  midst  of  a  description  of 
how  the  Shawanoe  beat  the  best  marksmen,  run- 
ners and  leapers  of -the  Blackfeet  when  Deerfoot 
came  back  to  the  camp  fire. 

"Now  let  my  brothers  tell  of  what  happened 
to  them  when  Deerfoot  was  through  with  Tag- 
garak." 

"You  needn't  worry;    I   didn't   forget  that. 


328  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

"Well,  Jack,  you  see  Deerfoot  forbade  me  and 
'George  to  come  anywhere  near,  but  we  couldn't 
stay  away.  He  found  it  out,  cut  a  big  gad  and 
splintered  it  over  our  shoulders  and  we  couldn't 
Jielp  ourselves. " 

And  then  Jack  Halloway  threw  back  his  head 
and  roared  with  laughter,  declaring  that  he  had 
never  heard  so  good  a  story. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

A  TEMPERANCE  AGITATOR. 

44 T  'LL  never  forget  that  ride  home  last  year," 
said  Jack  Halloway,  "  after  I  pulled  out 
in  the  night  and  left  Deerfoot  with 
you  younkers  asleep  by  the  camp  fire.  It  took 
me  a  week  to  reach  St.  Louis,  and  there  wasn't 
a  drop  of  whiskey  to  be  had  on  the  road.  For 
two  or  three  days  I  was  the  most  miserable  crit- 
ter that  ever  limped  on  two  legs.  I'd  have  give 
my  whole,  load  of  peltries  to  get  that  flask  back 
agin,  but  there  was  no  help  for  it.  Twice  I  rode 
up  to  the  camp  fires  of  In j ins,  hoping  to  buy 
some  fire  water  from  them,  but  neither  party 
had  a  drop.  Then  I  buckled  down  to  it. 

"On  the  fourth  night  when  I  camped  I  was 
almost  crazy.  As  I  rolled  about  in  my  blanket, 
not  able  to  sleep  a  wink,  I  remembered  what 
Deerfoot  had  said  to  me  about  praying.  Strange 
I'd  never  thought  of  it  before.  Wai,  I  got  on 
my  knees,  and  if  ever  a  poor  wretch  prayed  it 
was  Jack  Halloway,  and  I  kept  it  up  for  two  or 

329 


330  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

three  hours.  I  was  about  ready  to  let  go  when 
the  thing  ivhich  I  was  praying  for  came  to  me! 

"  Just  as  plain  as  I  have  heard  your  voices,  I 
catched  the  words,  'It's  all  right;  you've  con- 
quered your  temptation;  you're  boss  now/ 
Some  folks  may  laugh,  but  it  won't  do  for  'em 
to  say  where  Jack  Halloway  can  hear  'em  that 
thar's  nothing  in  the  Christian  religion.  I  know 
better,  'cause  I've  got  it  right  there!" 
exclaimed  the  trapper,  thumping  his  heart. 

"From  that  time  forward  everything  was 
rosy  with  me.  The  sun  never  shone  so  bright, 
the  birds  never  sung  so  sweet  and  I  never  felt 
so  happy  through  and  through.  I  shouted  and 
yelled  for  joy  and  walloped  the  horses,  just 
because  I  couldn't  help  it.  If  I  had  met  anyone 
at  those  times  he  would  have  set  me  down  as 
drunk.  So  I  was — drunk  with  pure  joy  and 
religion. 

"At  St.  Louis  I  sold  my  peltries  for  the  big- 
gest price  I've  got  in  ten  years.  I  took  the 
money  home  and  throwed  it  into  the  lap  of  my 
little,  sweet,  gray-haired  mother,  who  just 
stared  at  me,  not  knowing  what  it  meant.  When 
I  made  it  all  clear  she  began  crying,  and  then  she 
dropped  on  her  knees  and  I  dropped  alongside 


A  TEMPERANCE  AGITATOR.  331 

of  her,  and  when  she  got  through  praying  I  took 
up  the  job  and  kept  things  humming  for  another 
half  hour.  After  I'd  let  up  I  grabbed  her  in  my 
arms,  and  we  danced  about  that  cabin,  just  as 
she  used  to  do  when  she  was  the  belle  of  the 
town,  and  we  laughed  and  frolicked  and  made 
a  couple  of  fools  of  ourselves. 

"When  she  asked  me  to  tell  her  the  meaning 
of  my  short  rein-up  and  change  of  my  life,  I 
give  her  the  whole  thing.  It  was  the  work  of  a 
young  Shawanoe  Injin  called  Deerfoot,  who 
was  the  most  ginooine  Christian  on  either  side 
of  the  old  Mississippi.  She  asked  all  about  you, 
Deerfoot,  and  she  said  she  hoped  she  would 
meet  you  some  day.  So  when  we  get  back  to  St. 
Louis  I'll  introduce  you." 

"Deerfoot  will  be  glad  to  see  the  mother  of 
my  brother,"  softly  replied  the  Shawanoe,  in 
a  voice  tremulous  with  feeling.  He  and  the  boys 
listened  with  absorbed  interest  to  the  graphic 
story  told  by  the  trapper. 

"French  Pete  keeps  the  worst  whiskey  hole 
along  the  Mississippi.  It  is  down  by  the  river 
side  and  is  the  main  drinking  place  in  the  town. 
He  has  got  hundreds  of  dollars  from  the  fami- 
lies of  the  trappers  who  come  down  the  river  in 


332  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

the  spring,  and  for  years  he  has  gathered  in 
about  every  cent  I  could  rake  together. 

"Wai,  after  I  had  been  home  about  a  week  I 
strolled  down  to  his  place  one  moonlight  night. 
I  told  mother  not  to  worry  about  me,  for  I  would 
blow  my  own  head  off  before  I'd  ever  swaller 
another  drop  of  red  p  'ison.  When  I  opened  the 
door  of  the  ramshackle  cabin,  Pete  looked  up 
with  a  grin,  and  said  as  how  he  was  wondering 
where  I'd  kept  myself  so  long,  for  he  had  heerd 
I'd  got  back  and  done  unusual  well.  He  was 
glad  to  welcome  me,  and  asked  what  I'd  have 
and  the  treat  was  on  him  for  old  friendship's 
sake. 

" There  didn't  happen  to  be  anybody  else  in 
the  place  at  the  time,  for  it  was  early  in  the 
evening.  I  walked  up  to  the  bar  and  leaned  on 
it  familiar  like,  and  asked  Pete  if  he  didn't  think 
he'd  made  enough  money  in  ruining  other  folks 
to  quit  the  bus 'ness.  He  showed  he  didn't  know 
what  I  meant  by  the  strange  question.  I  then 
said  I'd  stopped  the  foolery  for  good,  and  give 
him  my  opinion  of  him  as  the  worst  wretch  in 
town.  He  had  sot  out  the  whiskey  bottle  on  the 
bar  and  shoved  out  the  cork  with  his  thumb  and 
forefinger.  I  'spose  that  was  to  let  me  get  a 


A  TEMPERANCE  AGITATOR.  333 

whiff  of  the  stuff.  I  got  it.  I  reached  out  my 
hand,  pushed  the  cork  back  in  the  bottle,  and 
then  grabbing  it  by  the  neck  brought  it  down  on 
the  bar  with  a  bang  that  broke  it  into  a  dozen 
pieces  and  sent  the  whiskey  flying  about  the 
room. 

"When  Pete  seed  what  I  was  up  to  he  made  a 
swipe  at  me,  remarking  several  swear  words  at 
the  same  time,  but  I  landed  him  one  under  the 
ear  that  sent  him  back  so  hard  aginst  the  bottles 
behind  him  that  he  bounced  forward  agin,  and 
I  grabbed  him. 

"He  made  just  the  sort  of  club  I  wanted. 
You  see  I  had  him  by  the  shoulders  and  I  could 
swing  his  heels  free  and  easy  like.  "Wai,  I  used 
him  that  way.  For  the  next  ten  or  fifteen  min- 
utes the  only  music  in  that  place  was  the  pant- 
ing of  Pete  and  the  crash  and  smash  of  bottles. 
The  fumes  of  the  stuff  filled  the  room  like  the 
mist  you  sometimes  see  rising  from  a  kenyon  in 
the  mountains.  "When  I  got  through  I  don't 
believe  there  was  a  whole  bottle  left,  and  as  I 
stepped  about  the  floor  I  splashed  in  whiskey, 
just  as  we  do  when  the  Mississippi  overflows 
the  streets.  I  tossed  Pete  over  into  one  corner, 
and,  not  seeing  any  more  blessed  work  to  do, 


334  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

passed  out  the  door.  I  met  two  friends  on  their 
way  for  a  drink.  When  they  said  good  evening 
I  remarked  off-hand  that  they'd  find  plenty  of 
whiskey  inside  without  asking  for  it,  and  went 
on  to  my  home. 

"I  expected  Pete  would  make  a  row  about 
what  I'd  done  and  I  would  be  catched  in  the  big- 
gest kind  of  a  row,  but  there  ain't  much  law  in 
St.  Louis  just  now,  on  account  of  the  change 
from  Spanish  rule  to  French  and  then  to  Ameri- 
can. Besides,  Pete  hasn't  got  many  friends, 
and  I  reckon  he  knew  he  wouldn't  get  much  sym- 
pathy. He  rigged  up  his  place  after  awhile  and 
laid  in  a  new  stock  of  p'ison,  but  it'll  take  a  long 
time  for  him  to  make  up  the  losses  that  f ollered 
his  inviting  Jack  Halloway  to  have  a  drink. 
Shawanoe,"  added  the  trapper,  abruptly  turn- 
ing to  the  Indian,  "I  want  to  ask  you  a  ques- 
tion." 

'  '  Deerf  oot  will  be  glad  to  answer  if  he  can. ' ' 

"When  I  went  down  to  French  Pete's  place 
and  smashed  things  and  cleaned  it  out,  as  I've 
been  stating,  did  I  do  right  ? ' ' 

Instead  of  directly  answering,  the  Shawanoe 
asked : 

"Has  the  conscience  of  my  brother  ever  whis- 


A  TEMPERANCE  AGITATOR.  335 

pered  to  him  that  he  did  wrong  in  breaking  the 
whiskey  bottles  !" 

"No,  I  rather  think  it's  the  other  way.  When 
I  started  home  I  felt  my  conscience  clapping  me 
on  the  shoulder  and  saying,  'You  hit  it  right 
that  time,  old  fellow,'  and  ever  since,  when  I 
think  of  it,  I  hear  the  same  soft  words. ' ' 

There  was  a  twinkle  in  the  eyes  of  Deerfoot 
as  he  gently  replied : 

"My  brother  should  always  do  what  his  con- 
science tells  him  to  do. ' ' 

"Good!  That  settles  it!  But  I've  got  some- 
thing more  interesting  than  all  that  to  tell  you. 
If  French  Pete  didn't  do  anything  to  me  for 
what  I'd  done  to  him,  he  laid  a  deep  plan  to  get 
Ms  revenge.  You  see  he's  afraid  to  tackle  me 
in  the  open,  for  I  may  say  there  ain't  a  man  liv- 
ing that  Jack  Halloway  is  afeard  of — barring 
one." 

"Who  is  he?"  asked  Victor  Shelton,  slyly 
nudging  his  brother. 

"Deerfoot  the  Shawanoe." 

The  face  of  the  Indian  flushed  and  he  pro- 
tested : 

"Deerfoot  would  be  only  a  pappoose  in  the 
hands  of  my  brother." 


336  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

"P'raps,  but  you'd  never  be  in  his  hands, 
I've  studied  your  build  and  quickness,  and  the 
chap  that  can  whip  a  Blackfoot  war  chief  with- 
out using  a  weapon  is  the  best  fellow  in  the 
world  to  let  alone — I  beg  pardon,  Deerfoot.  I'll 
drop  it. 

"When  it  was  getting  time  for  me  to  think 
about  going  to  the  beaver  runs  agin  Dick  Burley 
come  to  me  and  proposed  that  we  should  be 
pardners.  Dick  is  a  good  fellow  and  I  always 
liked  him,  for  he  hasn't  a  streak  of  yaller  in  his 
make-up.  The  only  objection  to  him  was  that  he 
liked  firewater  too  well.  He  spent  enough  money 
at  French  Pete 's  to  support  that  rogue.  Dick 's 
wife  and  two  children  were  in  rags,  and  the  poor 
woman  had  to  work  herself  almost  to  death  to 
keep  from  starving.  I  had  talked  with  Dick 
many  times,  not  neglecting  to  give  him  a  good 
cussing  now  and  then,  but  it  didn't  amount  to 
nothing.  In  the  hope  of  being  able  to  do  him 
good  I  agreed  to  go  with  him  to  the  Northwest. 

"Wai,  you  wouldn't  'spicion  what  a  trick 
French  Pete  and  Dick  was  trying  to  play  on  me. 
It  was  the  idea  of  Pete,  but  Dick  promised  to 
do  his  part.  Pete  agreed  to  let  Dick  have  a 
whole  keg  of  his  best — or  rather  worst — whis- 


A  TEMPERANCE  AGITATOR.  337 

key  without  charging  him  a  cent.  He  was 'to 
take  it  with  us,  with  the  sole  purpose  of  getting 
me  into  the  habit  of  drinking  again.  Their 
ca  'elation  was  that  when  we  got  away  up  in  the 
Northwest,  where  it  was  sometimes  cold  enough 
to  freeze  the  tail  off  a  brass  monkey,  and  Dick 
took  his  swigs  reg'lar  like,  I'd  be  sure  to  knock 
under  and  jine  him.  I  couldn't  stand  it  to  see 
him  enj  'ying  such  bliss  and  telling  what  a  lot  of 
good  it  done  him. 

"I  never  spicioned  anything  of  the  kind,  but 
when  I  set  eyes  on  that  keg  stored  among  the 
things  on  our  pack  horses  I  fixed  my  plan  of 
campaign.  Being  as  it  was  meant  to  last  four 
or  five  months  -it  wouldn't  do  for  Dick  to  draw 
on  it  too  heavy  at  the  start.  Then,  too,  as  I  said, 
he  expected  me  to  come  in  on  the  chorus,  and  he 
was  saving  up  for  that  glad  day. 

"  Every  time  Dick  took  a  drink,  which  I  must 
say  waren't  often,  of  course  he  invited  me  to 
jine,  but  when  I  said  no,  that  was  enough  and  he 
let  me  alone.  Oh,  he  was  shrewd,  and  was  play- 
ing his  cards  like  a  boss  of  the  game. 

'  'Wai,  we  had  only  one  brush  with  the  In j ins, 
and  we  got  to  the  place  we  had  fixed  on  without 
any  harm,  and  with  most  of  the  whiskey  still  in 

22 


338  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

the  keg.  It  was  where  I  had  been  doing  my 
trapping  for  several  years  before  I  went  further 
South,  which  was  the  reason  I  happened  to  meet 
you  in  that  part  of  the  world  last  summer. 

"We  set  our  traps  as  usual,  turned  our  horses 
out  to  grass  and  stowed  our  blankets  and  things 
in  a  big  holler  tree,  in  which  I  had  cut  a  door, 
with  a  buffalo  skin  that  hung  down  in  front. 
The  first  thing  Dick  carried  in  was  the  whiskey 
keg.  *  I  think  more  of  that, '  he  remarked,  as  he 
sot  it  down  tender  like,  as  if  it  was  a  sick  baby, 
'than  everything  else  in  the  outfit.'  I  made  no 
reply,  but  I  was  busy  thinking,  and  when  he 
wa'nt  looking  I  done  some  chuckling  and  laugh- 
ing that  would  have  made  him  open  his  eyes  had 
he  knowed  of  it. 

"One  night  when  Dick  was  sleeping  particu- 
lar sound  I  sneaked  out  of  the  holler  tree  with 
the  keg.  I  had  to  be  powerful  careful,  for  we 
folks  larn  to  sleep  light,  but  1  managed  it  with- 
out waking  him.  Having  made  up  my  mind  long 
before  what  I  would  do,  I  didn't  make  any  mis- 
take. Eaising  the  cask,  with  the  stuff  jingling 
and  sploshing  about  inside,  I  brought  it  down 
on  the  p  'int  of  a  rock  with  a  force  that  made  it 
split  open  like  a  watermelon.  In  a  few  minutes 


A  TEMPERANCE  AGITATOR.  33* 

every  drop  had  soaked  into  the  ground  and  it 
was  a  thousand  miles  to  French  Pete  in  St. 
Louis. 

"I  had  to  tell  Dick  the  truth  the  next  morning. 
The  minute  he  opened  his  eyes  he  went  for  his 
morning  dram.  I  remarked  that  we  didn't  need 
whiskey  in  them  parts,  and  being  as  I  had 
become  a  temperance  man  it  was  agin  my  prin- 
ciples to  have  any  of  the  p'ison  around. 

"Wai,  Dick  was  that  mad  he  turned  white. 
When  he  realized  that  there  was  no  way  of  his 
getting  a  drink  for  months  he  collapsed.  Then 
he  roused  up  and  said  as  how  the  insult,  being  a 
mortal  one,  we'd  have  to  settle  it  outside.  I  was 
looking  for  something  of  that  kind  and  replied 
that  I  was  agreeable. 

"Dick's  idea  was  that  we  should  use  our 
knives  and  to  keep  to  it  till  one  was  killed  or  he 
hollered  ' Enough!'  which  neither  of  us  would 
do  to  save  his  life.  I  said  the  best  plan  would  be 
to  use  our  fists.  A  duel  with  knives  was  liable  to 
be  over  sudden,  while  a  fist-fight  would  last 
much  longer,  and  therefore  give  both  more 
enjoyment.  It  wouldn't  be  any  trouble  for  him 
as  got  the  upper  hand  to  pound  the  other  to 
death,  and  being  as  the  whole  thing  would  be  in 


340  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

doubt  till  it  was  over,  the  advantage  in  the  way 
of  real  happiness  was  obvious. 

"  After  some  argument  Dick  seed  the  p'int, 
and  agreed,  and  we  went  at  it.  Wai,  I  needn't 
dwell  on  the  particulars.  Dick  put  up  a  stiff 
fight,  and  might  have  give  me  a  good  deal  of 
trouble  if  it  hadn't  been  that  he  was  weakened 
by  whiskey,  while  I  had  long  got  rid  of  the 
effects  of  the  last  drop.  He  had  to  knock  under, 
and  when  he  found  the  only  way  to  save  himself 
was  to  yell  ' Enough!'  he  done  it,  though,  as  I 
said,  he  would  have  held  out  if  he  had  been 
using  knives. 

"I  rested  from  pummeling  him,  but  told  him 
he  couldn't  get  up  till  he  had  told  the  Lord  what 
a  mean  scamp  he  was  and  had  asked  His  for- 
giveness and  promised  to  try  to  live  a  Christian. 
Dick  wasn't  expecting  anything  like  that,  and  he 
b'iled  over  with  rage.  But  it  did  no  good,  and  I 
banged  him  agin,  good  and  hard,  and  told  him 
I  never  would  stop  till  he  knocked  under. 

"I  had  to  soothe  him  a  good  while  before  he 
give  in.  He  said  he  would  do  as  I  wished  and 
then  I  let  him  up.  He  wanted  to  wait  till  night, 
but  I  wouldn't  allow  it,  and  he  went  down  on  his 
knees  and  sailed  in.  I  made  him  pray  out  loud, 


A  TEMPERANCE  AGITATOR.  34* 

so  as  to  be  sure  he  put  things  in  right  shape. 
Xow,  Deerfoot,  tell  me  whether  I  managed  that 
job  right. " 

The  Shawanoe  was  puzzled,  for  the  trapper 
had  submitted  a  new  phase  of  the  most  interest- 
ing question  to  him.  But  Deerfoot  was  shrewd. 

"Let  my  brother  finish  his  story." 

"Oh,  the  job  came  out  all  right.  Dick  was 
sulky  and  ugly  for  a  few  days,  though  I  made 
him  stick  to  his  prayers  every  morning  and 
night.  But  bye  and  bye,  when  the  whiskey  got 
out  of  him,  he  begun  to  improve.  One  day  he 
laughed,  but  was  so  scared  by  it  that  he  didn't 
speak  till  night.  Soon  after  that  he  told  me  he 
felt  a  good  deal  better,  which  the  same  I  replied 
was  because  he  was  getting  over  the  long  drunk 
he  had  been  on  for  a  dozen  years. 

"Wai,  Dick  continued  to  improve.  His  spirits 
rose,  his  appetite  was  stronger,  he  could  stand 
more  work,  and  I  noticed  that  in  praying  he 
yelled  louder  than  ever.  All  these  was  good 
signs  and  showed  that  I  had  managed  the  bus- 
'ness  right,  so  I  won't  ask  your  opinion  on  my 
style,  Deerfoot. 

"Then  Dick  told  me  of  the  job  that  French 
Pete  and  him  had  put  up  on  me.  I  could  afford 


342  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

to  laugh,  but  Dick  was  that  mad  that  he  was 
eager  to  get  back  to  St.  Louis,  so  that  he  could 
go  down  to  Pete's  place  and  smash  things  as  I 
done.  But  I  talked  him  out  of  that,  and  he 
promised  me  he  wouldn't  undertake  the 
bus  'ness  till  I  could  jine  him.  You  know  there 's 
a  sweetness  about  such  work  that  I  'spose  made 
me  selfish.  I  warn't  willing  he  should  have  all 
the  enj'yment  to  himself. 

"I've  showed  my  faith  in  Dick  by  sending  him 
home  with  the  peltries.  You  see  it  isn't  like  a 
chap  trying  to  make  a  man  of  himself  when  the 
temptation  is  at  his  elbow.  Dick  had  to  go  with- 
out for  months,  and  that  give  him  enough  time 
to  become  master  of  himself.  All  that  I'm 
afeard  of  is  that  he'll  get  impatient  when  he 
catches  sight  of  French  Pete's  place  and  forget 
his  promise  to  me." 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

"GOOD-BYE/' 

r  I  ^HE  remainder  of  tlie  homeward  journey 

was  without    special    incident.     It    was 

several  days  before  Victor  Shelton  fully 

recovered  from  the  pounding  caused  by  his  fall 

into  the  torrent.    The  loss  of  his  rifle  was  keenly 

felt,  but  he  did  not  fret,  for  it  would  have  been 

ungrateful  after  his  marvelous  escape. 

Jack  Halloway's  spirits  were  irrepressible, 
and  his  good  nature  was  like  so  much  sunshine. 
The  only  fault  to  be  found  with  him  was  his 
inclination  to  burst  into  song,  without  waiting 
for  urging  on  the  part  of  his  friends.  He  was 
gifted  with  a  tremendous  voice,  but  unfortu- 
nately he  had  no  more  idea  of  a  tune  than  a 
grizzly  bear.  But  no  one  could  criticize  the 
fellow,  who  was  the  life  of  the  little  party. 

The  course  of  our  friends  was  southeast,  lead- 
ing through  the  present  States  of  Wyoming, 
Colorado  and  into  Kansas,  where  they  struck 
the  trail  of  the  year  before.  This  was  followed 

343 


344  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

across  Missouri,  and,  without  mishap,  all  four 
reached  in  due  time  that  old  French  town  on  the 
Mississippi. 

Deerfoot  and  the  boys  stayed  there  for  one 
night  and  a  part  of  a  day.  It  was  a  visit  which 
they  always  remembered.  The  only  fly  in  the 
ointment  was  the  discovery  by  Jack  Halloway 
that  Dick  Burley,  after  all,  had  broken  his 
promise.  He  had  not  been  in  St.  Louis  twenty- 
four  hours  when  he  sauntered  down  to  French 
Pete 's  place.  That  worthy  met  him  with  a  grin, 
supposing  he  had  come  to  make  his  report, 
whose  nature  was  not  doubted.  Then  Dick, 
after  denouncing  the  fellow  as  he  deserved,  pro- 
ceeded to  business  in  as  emphatic  a  fashion  as 
Jack  had  done  the  preceding  year.  He  was 
equally  thorough,  perhaps  more  so,  for  he  not 
only  left  the  place  a  wreck,  and  the  proprietor 
senseless,  but  "laid  out"  two  brawlers  who  hap- 
pened to  be  present  and  were  imprudent  enough 
to  try  to  help  the  landlord. 

"I've  one  hope,"  said  Jack,  in  telling  of  the 
incident.  '  *  Pete  will  start  up  agin  and  then  it  '11 
be  my  turn  to  make  a  friendly  call  on  him. ' ' 

In  that  humble  home,  on  the  upper  margin  of 
the  straggling  town  of  St.  Louis,  Jack  Halloway 


"GOOD-BYE/'  345 

introduced  George  and  Victor  Shelton  and 
Deerfoot  to  his  mother.  She  was  a  sprightly 
little  lady,  who  could  not  have  weighed  a  hun- 
dred pounds,  and  whose  soft,  wavy,  white  hair 
and  pink  cheeks  and  regular  features  spoke  of 
the  unusual  beauty  that  was  hers  when  she  was 
the  belle  of  the  town.  She  had  a  serene  beauty 
and  winsomeness  that  warmed  the  hearts  of  the 
callers  from  the  moment  they  first  saw  her. 

As  soon  as  the  introductions  and  greetings 
were  over,  Jack  caught  his  mother  in  his  arms 
and  tossed  her  as  high  as  the  ceiling  would  per- 
mit, catching  her  as  she  descended  and  kissing 
her  as  if  she  were  a  little  child.  Then,  waving 
the  others  to  seats,  he  dropped  into  the  single 
rocking  chair  and  held  her  on  his  knee  during 
the  conversation  that  followed.  Her  soul  was 
wrapped  up  in  this  massive  boy  with  the 
strength  of  a  giant,  and  her  happiness  over  his 
restoration  to  her  after  her  years  of  prayer  had 
a  pathos  and  sweetness  that  nothing  else  in  all 
the  world  could  give. 

When  the  chatter  had  gone  on  for  a  few  min- 
utes Jack  drew  his  mother's  face  down  beside 
his  own  and  whispered: 

"Did  you  ever  see  as  handsome  a  chap  as 


34*  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

that  young  Indian  sitting  over  there  in  the  cor- 
ner? Look  how  modest  he  is,  as  if  he  didn't 
wish  to  be  noticed.  Didn't  you  remember,  when 
I  told  you  his  name  is  Deerfoot,  that  he's  the 
chap  that  made  me  throw  away  my  flask  of 
whiskey  and  was  the  cause  of  my  becoming  a 
man?" 

"No,"  replied  the  astonished  parent,  "I 
didn't  recall  it.  I  must  have  a  talk  with  him 
before  he  leaves  us." 

It  was  arranged  after  supper  that  George  and 
Victor  should  go  to  the  home  of  Dick  Burley  to 
sleep.  Eoom  could  have  been  made  for  them  in 
the  cabin  of  Jack  Halloway  by  letting  the  three 
rest  on  the  floor,  and  he  and  his  mother  would 
have  been  pleased;  but  the  brothers  showed 
good  taste  by  accepting  the  invitation  of  Burley, 
at  whose  house,  for  the  first  time  in  many 
months,  they  slept  in  a  bed.  There  was  happy 
content  in  that  home  also,  for  what  loving, 
devoted  wife  is  not  thankful  when  her  husband 
is  restored  to  her  and  is  in  his  right  mind? 

That  humble  home  where  Jack  Halloway 
smoked  his  pipe,  with  his  mother  knitting  beside 
him  and  Deerfoot  a  little  way  off  in  his  chair, 
was  the  picture  of  serene,  grateful  pleasure  on 


••GOOD-BYE/'  347 

the  cool  summer  night,  long  ago,  when  the  three 
sat  in  converse. 

The  youth  was  so  drawn  to  the  pure,  sweet- 
faced,  motherly  lady  that  he  could  not  refuse 
her  request  to  tell  her  about  himself.  He  talked 
more  freely  than  was  his  wont,  and  said  many 
things  he  would  not  have  said  in  the  presence  of 
others.  She  penetrated  the  nobility  of  the 
youth,  who  could  read  and  write  well,  whose 
mind  was  stored  with  considerable  knowledge, 
whose  woodcraft  ap'proached  as  near  perfection 
as  mortal  man  can  attain,  and  whose  strength, 
skill  and  prowess  (as  she  gathered  from  inci- 
dents brought  out  in  the  course  of  the  evening) 
were  the  superior  of  any  person's  whom  she  had 
ever  seen.  In  addition,  as  she  said  to  her  son 
the  next  day,  anyone  would  be  tempted  to  talk  to 
Deerf  oot,  because  it  was  such  a  pleasure  to  look 
upon  the  handsome  countenance  and  to  make 
him  smile  and  show  his  beautiful  teeth. 

So  it  was  that  Deerfoot  was  compelled  to  tell 
the  whole  story  of  his  encounter  with  Taggarak, 
with  its  remarkable  sequel ;  of  his  fight  with  the 
grizzly  bear,  and  his  conquest  of  Whirlwind,  the 
peerless  stallion.  He  never  would  have  done 
this  but  for  the  persistent  questioning  of  Mrs. 


348  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

Halloway.  The  boys  had  told  Jack  enough  on 
the  long  ride  from  the  mountains  to  St.  Louis 
for  him  to  give  his  mother  the  necessary  point- 
ers, and  he  helped  her  in  driving  the  Shawanoe 
into  a  corner,  where  he  could  not  otherwise 
extricate  himself. 

The  wonderful  thing  in  the  estimation  of  the 
good  woman  was  that  the  hero  of  these  and 
many  other  exploits  was  a  Christian.  She  had 
never  seen  one  of  his  race  who  professed  to  be  a 
follower  of  the  Meek  and  Lowly  One,  though  she 
had  heard  of  such  from  the  missionaries;  but 
she  agreed  with  her  son  that  no  more  perfect 
exemplar  of  Christianity  was  to  be  found  any- 
where. 

On  the  morrow,  when  the  time  came  to  part, 
Mrs.  Halloway  took  the  hand  of  Deerfoot  in  her 
dainty  palm,  and  in  a  trembling  voice  thanked 
him  for  what  he  had  done  for  her  through  what 
he  did  for  her  son.  She  promised  to  pray  for 
him  every  day  of  her  remaining  life,  and  while 
he  stood  trying  to  keep  back  the  tears  she 
added : 

"Please  bend  your  head  a  little." 

He  bent  down  and  she  touched  her  lips  to  his 
forehead,  and,  still  holding  the  hand,  said  so 


"GOOD-BYE."  349 

that  all,  Jack,  the  Shelton  boys  and  Dick  Burley, 
could  hear,  as  they  gathered  round  to  say  the 
parting  words : 

1 1  Well  done,  good  and  faithful  servant !" 
The  benison  thus  bestowed  remained  with 
Deerf  oot  all  the  way  home  and  to  the  end  of  his 
life.  In  the  cool  depths  of  the  forest,  amid  the 
fragrance  of  brown  leaves,  the  bark  of  trees  and 
of  bursting  bud  and  blossom,  and  by  the  flow  of 
the  crystal  brook,  he  heard  the  gentle  whisper. 
It  came  to  him  when  the  snow  sifted  against  his 
frame  and  the  bite  of  the  Arctic  blast  was  as 
merciless  as  the  fangs  of  the  she-wolf.  Above 
the  crash  of  the  hurricane  that  uprooted  and 
splintered  the  century-old  monarchs  of  the 
woods  the  words  rang  out  like  the  notes  of  an 
angel's  trumpet,  and  in  the  watches  of  the  night, 
under  the  star-gleam  or  in  the  fleecy  moonlight, 
while  stillness  brooded  over  a  sleeping  world, 
the  music  swung  back  and  forth  like  a  censer 
through  the  corridors  of  the  soul,  with  a  sweet- 
ness that  told  him  the  strings  of  the  harp 
throbbed  under  the  touch  of  the  fingers  of  God 
himself. 


CHAPTER  XXVIH. 

RETROSPECT.* 
w  AM  the  son  and  only    child  of  Taggarak,  a 


I 


leading  war  chief  for  many  years  of  the 
Blackfoot  Indians.  I  had  an  elder 
brother,  but  he  died  before  reaching  manhood. 
I  remember  the  visit  made  by  Deerfoot  the 
Shawanoe  to  our  tribe,  in  the  autumn  and  winter 
of  1804  and  1805.  He  came  from  Ohio,  in  com- 
pany with  two  brothers  named  Shelton,  that 
were  white,  and  with  Mul-tal-la,  who  belonged  to 
our  own  people,  and  had  made  the  journey  east- 
ward into  the  Shawanoe  country.  Mul-tal-la 
had  a  companion  when  he  left  us,  but  he  was 
accidentally  killed  after  arriving  in  the  East. 

"I  was  not  quite  five  years  old  when  I  first 
saw  Deerfoot  and  his  two  friends,  yet  I  can 
never  forget  him,  for  he  was  the  most  remarka- 
ble youth,  white  or  red,  that  I  ever  met" 

(Here  follows  a  description    of    Deerfoot 's 

"•[Statement  of  Ap-pa-pa-alk,  a  member  of  the  Blackfoot  tribe,  given  to 
Rev.  J.  Y.  Dilworthy,  missionary,  on  the  21et  of  October,  1869.] 

350 


RETROSPECT.  35* 

appearance,  his  traits,  his  skill  with  rifle  and 
bow,  his  athletic  prowess  and  his  unequaled 
woodcraft.  This  need  not  be  repeated,  since  you 
are  familiar  with  it.  The  statement  which  fol- 
lows, however,  is  one  of  the  most  remarkable 
ever  penned.) 

"I  was  in  the  Big  Lodge  on  the  afternoon 
Deerfoot  spoke  to  many  of  our  people  of  the 
white  man's  God,  who,  he  said,  was  the  God  of 
the  red  man  as  well.  Young  as  I  was,  I  stood  at 
the  knee  of  my  mother,  thrilled  and  almost 
breathless  under  the  spell  of  the  simple  elo- 
quence of  the  Shawanoe,  many  of  whose  words 
I  remember.  In  the  midst  of  his  address  my 
father,  Chief  Taggarak,  strode  into  the  lodge. 
He  passed  so  close  to  me  that  his  knee  brushed 
my  shoulder.  My  mother  and  I  looked  up  at 
him,  but  he  did  not  see  us,  nor  did  he  notice  any- 
one except  Deerfoot.  His  eyes  were  fixed  on 
the  young  Shawanoe,  and  we  all  thought  he 
meant  to  attack  him. 

"Deerfoot  saw  him  enter,  stopped  speaking 
and  looked  steadily  at  the  chief  as  he  drew  near. 
Deerfoot  always  carried  his  knife  at  his  girdle, 
though  of  course  he  had  laid  aside  his  gun.  I 
remember  wondering  why  he  did  not  draw  his 


352  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

weapon,  but,  instead  of  doing  so,  he  placed  his 
hands  behind  his  back  and  calmly  surveyed  Tag- 
garak, without  the  least  sign  of  fear.  From 
what  I  afterward  learned,  I  am  sure  that  if  my 
father  had  attacked  the  Shawanoe,  the  chief 
would  have  been  quickly  overcome,  if  not  killed. 

"Within  two  paces  of  Deerfoot,  Taggarak 
wheeled  about,  faced  his  people  and  made  an 
impassioned  avowal  of  his  belief  in  the  Chris- 
tian religion.  He  declared  that  the  true  God 
had  spoken  to  him  when  he  tried  to  hide  himself 
in  the  woods  and  to  close  his  ears  against  His 
words.  That  'God  had  not  allowed  him  to  sleep 
or  eat  or  drink  or  rest  till  he  threw  himself  on 
his  face,  and  with  streaming  eyes  begged  Him  to 
forgive  and  take  him  into  His  favor. 

' '  Never  was  there  such  excitement  among  the 
Blackf oot  tribe  as  was  caused  by  the  declaration 
of  their  greatest  war  chief  that  he  had  become 
a  Christian.  It  almost  rent  the  tribe  in  twain. 
We  had  a  number  of  villages  and  different 
chiefs,  but  Taggarak  was  the  greatest  of  them 
all. 

"It  was  clear  to  everyone  that  he  looked  upon 
Deerfoot  the  Shawanoe  as  more  than  an  ordi- 
nary human  being.  In  truth  I  thought  and  still 


RETROSPECT.  353 

think  the  same,  and  I  believe  you  will  agree  with 
me  when  you  hear  the  rest  of  my  story.  Tag- 
garak  asked  Deerf  oot  whether  he  should  give  up 
his  chieftaincy,  and  was  ready  to  do  whatever 
the  Shawanoe  advised.  Deerfpot  told  him  to 
remain  chief  as  long  as  he  lived,  but  to  be  mer- 
ciful to  his  enemies,  never  to  fight  except  in 
defence  of  his  home  and  people,  and  to  pray  to 
God  morning  and  night  and  to  do  all  he  could  to 
please  Him  in  his  actions,  his  words  and  his 
thoughts.  Deer  foot  did  much  in  the"  way  of 
teaching  him,  and  Taggarak  became  a  Christian, 
as  did  my  mother  and  myself  and  others  of  our 
tribe,  though  I  never  understood  all  the  height 
and  depth  and  breadth  of  God's  love  and  plans 
until  I  had  grown  to  manhood  and  talked  with 
the  missionaries. 

' '  Christianity  would  have  been  firmly  planted 
among  my  people  but  for  the  acts  of  the  white 
men  themselves.  When  the  expedition  of  Lewis 
and  Clark  came  through  our  country  one  of 
them  killed  a  Blackfoot.  No  doubt  there  was 
some  justification  for  the  act,  but  it  made  our 
tribe  the  enemies  of  the  white  men,  and  many 
who  professed  to  love  the  God  of  the  palefaces 
now  cast  away  such  love  and  would  have  none  of 

28 


354  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS.  < 

it.  Taggarak  was  much  grieved  and  indignant 
over  the  action  of  the  white  men,  but  nothing 
could  weaken  or  shake  his  faith  in  Chris- 
tianity." 

(The  incident  alluded  to  occurred  July  27, 
1806.  A  party  of  Blackfeef  stole  a  number  of 
horses  belonging  to  Lewis  and  Clark 's  party, 
were  pursued,  and  one  of  the  Indians  killed  and 
another  wounded.  The  tribe  was  so  embittered 
toward  the  whites  that  they  were  treacherous 
enemies  to  them  for  many  years  afterward.) 

"From  the  year,  following  this  sad  event, 
however,  the  authority  of  Taggarak  waned.  He 
did  not  care  for  power,  and  was  content  to  let  it 
slip  gradually  from  him  and  pass  to  others.  I 
could  have  become  chief  had  I  wished  it,  but  I 
knew  I  was  distrusted  because  I  professed 
Christianity,  and  the  Blackf  eet  and  I  thought  so 
differently  about  everything  that  I  remained  a 
simple  warrior,  content  to  serve  my  father  and 
mother,  as  an  obedient  son. 

"I  did  not  know  for  years  of  the  encounter 
between  Taggarak  and  Deerfoot  in  the  wood, 
when  the  chief  sought  his  life,  but  was  overcome 
and  then  spared  by  the  Shawanoe.  Deerfoot 
never  spoke  of  it,  and  I  was  almost  grown  when 


RETROSPECT.  355 

my  father  told  my  mother  and  me  of  the  strange 
incident,  which  was  the  means  of  the  chief's 
accepting  the  religion  that  the  youth  taught  by 
word  and  example. 

"When  Deerfoot  left  our  village,  Taggarak 
begged  him  to  visit  him  again.  He  urged  so 
hard  that  the  youth  ,said  he  would  do  so  if  he 
could,  but  he  saw  little  hope  and  thought  their 
next  meeting  would  have  to  wait  till  both  passed 
into  the  hunting  grounds  above. 

"Taggarak  meditated  much  over  the  coming 
of  Deerfoot.  As  he  grew  older  he  often  went  to 
the  elevation,  a  little  way  from  our  village,  and 
near  where  he  had  been  overcome  by  the  Shawa- 
noe,  and  passed  hours  gazing  toward  the  East, 
looking  and  hoping  for  sight  of  the  youth  who 
did  not  come.  He  always  went  alone  to  the  spot 
and  did  not  suspect  his  action  was  noticed  by 
anyone.  But  at  the  request  of  my  mother,  I 
stealthily  followed  the  chief.  He  seated  himself 
on  a  broad,  flat  rock,  which  gave  him  a  view  of 
many  miles  of  mountain,  wood  and  stream,  and 
it  seemed  that  for  the  hour  I  watched  him  he 
never  took  his  gaze  from  the  point  in  the  sky 
where  the  sun  first  showed  itself.  I  have  some- 
times wondered  whether  my  father  mistook  any 


356  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

approaching  warrior  for  the  Shawanoe.  I  never 
learned,  for  not  once  did  he  ever  refer  to  those 
lonely  visits  to  the  elevation. 

1 '  One  day  my  father  said,  with  his  old  stern- 
ness of  manner,  that  since  Deerfoot  was  not 
.  coming  to  see  him,  I  must  take  a  message  to  the 
Shawanoe  in  his  distant  home.  It  was  a  start- 
ling command,  but  was  not  unwelcome  to  me.  I 
had  heard  much  of  the  white  man's  country,  and 
knew  the  palefaces  were  fast  pushing  into  our 
own.  I  had  listened  to  Mul-tal-la's  wonderful 
stories  times  without  number,  and  often 
resolved  that  when  an  opportunity  came  I 
should  visit  the  white  towns  and  settlements. 

"I  was  glad,  therefore,  when  my  father  spoke 
as  he  did,  and  still  more  glad  when  Mul-tal-la, 
although  he  had  a  wife  and  two  children,  offered 
to  go  with  me.  He  was  anxious  to  see  Deerfoot 
and  the  acquaintances  he  had  made  many  years 
before,  whose  memory  was  always  a  pleasure  to 
him. 

"My  father's  message  to  the  Shawanoe 
amounted  to  little.  I  was  to  tell  him  the  chief 
was  still  true  to  his  faith,  and  to  ask  him 
whether  he  could  come  to  the  chief,  and,  if  he 
could  not,  whether  he  still  remembered  Tagga- 
rak.  That  was  all. 


RETROSPECT.  357 

"I  was  a  grown  man  when,  with  Mul-tal-la  as 
my  companion,  I  rode  down  from  the  Blackf oot 
country  and  we  set  out  on  the  long  journey  he 
had  made  more  than  twenty  years  before.  He 
remembered  every  river,  stream,  mountain  and 
prairie,  though  the  settlements  had  brought 
many  changes,  and  on  the  way  to  the  Ohio  he 
met  several  acquaintances. 

"It  would  be  of  no  interest  to  tell  of  our  jour- 
ney, though  we  had  more  than  one  adventure. 
The  first  place  we  visited  was  the  little  town  of 
Woodvale,  so  familiar  to  Mul-tal-la,  and  which 
had  grown  to  that  extent  that  it  had  taken  a  new 
name. 

"There  we  found  George  and  Victor  Shelton, 
almost  in  middle  life,  both  married  and  among 
the  leading  citizens.  They  were  filled  with  joy 
to  see  Mul-tal-la,  and  did  all  they  could  to  make 
our  visit  pleasant.  But  we  had  talked  only  a 
little  while  when  we  were  grieved  to  learn  that 
Deerf  oot,  who  had  moved  to  the  west  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi, had  been  dead  a  good  many  years.  Not 
only  that,  but  the  manner  of  his  death  was  the 
saddest  of  which  I  had  ever  heard.  (See  "The 
Last  War  Trail.") 

"We  stayed  for  several  weeks  in  Ohio  and 


358  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

met  many  old  friends  of  the  Shawanoe.  The 
one  whom  I  best  remember  was  Simon  Kenton, 
who  had  great  fame  as  a  hunter,  and  who  had 
always  been  a  close  comrade  of  Deerfoot.  He 
was  an  old  man  when  I  saw  him,  but  as  strong 
and  active  as  many  who  had  lived  only  half  his 
years.  He  came  to  Woodvale  the  night  before 
we  left  on  our  return  and  stayed  with  Victor 
Shelton.  His  eyes  filled  with  tears  when  he 
spoke  of  Deerfoot,  and  said  that  the  memory 
of  the  brave,  blameless  life  he  lived  in  all  cir- 
cumstances had  more  to  do  with  making  Ken- 
ton  himself  a  Christian  than  did  the  camp 
meeting  at  which  he  professed  conversion. 

"  Well,  we  set  out  for  home,  and  though  a  part 
of  the  journey  was  made  in  winter  we  met  with 
no  mishap.  When  we  arrived,  Mul-tal-la  went 
straight  to  his  lodge  to  see  his  wife  and  children 
and  I  hurried  to  my  home,  where  I  knew  the 
chief  had  long  expected  me.  I  was  greatly 
relieved  to  find  him  and  my  mother  well. 

"  When  I  came  into  my  father's  presence,  and 
before  I  had  time  to  do  more  than  speak  my 
pleasure,  he  raised  his  hand  as  a  command  for 
me  to  keep  silent. 

"  *I  know  what  you  would  say,  but  you  need 


RETROSPECT.  359 

not  tell  me.  Deerf  oot  has  been  here  and  told  me 
all/ 

"  <But  Deerf  oot  is  dead/  I  replied;  'that  can- 
not be/ 

"  'Did  I  not  say  he  has  visited  me  since  you 
were  gone,  and  told  me  all?' 

"And  then,  forbidding  me  to  open  my  lips, 
he  related  the  full  story  of  Deerf  oot 's  death.  He 
gave  the  particulars,  and  was  not  wrong  in  the 
slightest  one.  The  chief  need  not  have  forbid- 
den me  to  speak,  for  I  could  not  say  a  word  for 
a  long  time  afterward.  He  told  me  nothing 
more.  I  cannot  explain  it. ' ' 

(Possibly  psychologists  may  find  the  explana- 
tion of  this  remarkable  fact  in  mental  telepathy, 
but  how  shall  we  explain  the  still  more  extra- 
ordinary statement  that  follows!) 

"My  mother  had  grown  old  and  feeble  and 
died  a  few  months  after  I  came  home.  I  noticed 
that  father  stopped  going  to  the  elevation 
beyond  the  village  and  looking  toward  the  rising 
sun  for  the  coming  of  Deerfoot.  Nor  did  he 
seem  to  wish  to  speak  of  him,  though  I  know  the 
Shawanoe  was  much  in  his  thoughts.  The  chief 
gradually  failed,  and  when  the  weather  grew 
cold  he  did  not  leave  his  lodge. 


360  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

"He  and  I  lived  together.  I  gave  him 
affectionate  attention  and  did  not  let  him  lack 
for  comfort.  Others  often  visited  him,  for  the 
Blackfeet  could  not  forget  that  he  had  been  one 
of  their  greatest  war  chiefs.  Our  lodge  was  not 
fashioned  like  the  others.  One  side  was  the  face 
of  a  large  rock,  against  which  we  always  kindled 
the  fire.  At  each  of  the  opposite  two  corners 
was  a  strong  post.  These  were  connected  at  the 
tops  by  a  horizontal  beam  and  from  each  post 
was  stretched  another  beam,  whose  farther  end 
rested  on  the  rock.  This  and  the  three  beams 
gave  support  for  the  framework  of  the  roof, 
which  was  made  of  the  boughs  of  trees.  The 
sides  and  walls  were  of  thick  bark  lined  with 
buffalo  robes.  This  made  the  square  room 
below  free  of  all  supports  or  posts.  My  bed  of 
furs  was  at  one  side  and  that  of  my  father  oppo- 
site. An  opening  in  the  roof,  where  it  joined  the 
rock  and  exactly  over  the  fire,  gave  an  outlet  for 
the  smoke. 

"One  calm,  cold  night  in  autumn,  after  I  had 
piled  a  deal  of  wood  on  the  blaze  and  seen  that 
my  father  was  warmly  wrapped  in  furs  and 
sleeping  comfortably,  I  lay  down  and  fell  asleep 
almost  at  once.  It  could  not  have  been  long 


RETROSPECT.  361 

afterward  that  I  was  awakened  by  the  sound  of 
people  talking  together.  At  first  I  thought  they 
were  outside  the  lodge,  but  the  fire  was  burning 
so  bright  that  it  was  like  noonday  within  and  I 
saw  that  the  two  persons  who  were  conversing 
were  standing  only  a  few  paces  from  me. 

"One  was  Chief  Taggarak,  my  father.  His 
face  was  turned  partly  away  and  toward  me  and 
there  could  be  no  mistake  as  to  him.  The  other's 
back  and  one  shoulder  hid  his  features,  but 
something  familiar  in  his  appearance  and  the 
sound  of  his  voice  struck  me.  While  I  was  look- 
ing and  listening  he  shifted  his  position  and  I 
saw  his  face. 

"It  was  Deerfoot  the  Shawanoe! 

"No  one  who  had  ever  seen  that  Indian  youth 
could  possibly  make  an  error.  I  never  looked 
upon  such  comely  features  or  such  a  graceful 
form,  nor  did  I  ever  listen  to  so  musical  a  voice. 
Like  a  person  in  a  dream,  I  felt  no  special  sur- 
prise at  seeing  before  me  a  person  who  had  died 
years  before. 

' '  I  studied  him  from  head  to  foot.  One  of  the 
first  things  I  noticed  was  that  the  stained  eagle 
feathers,  which  he  always  used  to  wear  in  his 
hair,  were  not  there,  nor  did  he  have  his  knife  at 


362  DEERFOOT  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

his  girdle  nor  was  his  rifle  in  his  hand.  I  don't 
suppose  they  have  need  of  such  things  in 
heaven. 

"During  this  talk  between  Deerfoot  and  my 
father  I  did  not  speak  or  rise  to  my  feet.  I 
expected  the  Shawanoe  to  say  something  to  me 
and  I  had  no  wish  to  break  in  upon  the  talk. 
They  spent  ten  or  fifteen  minutes  thus,  and  then 
Deerfoot  took  the  hand  of  my  father,  pressed  it 
warmly  and  turned  to  go.  As  he  did  so,  he 
seemed  for  the  first  time  to  see  me.  He  stopped, 
looked  down,  smiled  and  uttered  my  name.  Then 
he  checked  himself,  walked  to  the  corner  of  the 
lodge,  drew  aside  the  buffalo  robe  which  served 
as  a  door  and  passed  out  into  the  night. 

"My  father  stood  for  a  minute  looking  after 
him,  and  then,  with  a  glowing  face,  turned 
to  me: 

"  'Did  you  see  him?' 

"  'I  did,  and  heard  his  voice.' 

"  'You  lost  nothing  of  what  he  said  to  me?' 

"  'Not  a  word.' 

"  'Tell  them  to  no  one.    Now  sleep.' 

"It  was  a  long  time  before  I  closed  my  eyes, 
and  when  I  did  so  the  wonderful  words  that  had 
fallen  from  the  lips  of  Deerfoot  were  in  my  ears. 


RETROSPECT.  363 

To  me  the  strangest  part  of  this  strange  experi- 
ence is  that  which  followed.  When  morning 
came  I  found  I  could  not  remember  a  syllable 
that  the  Shawanoe  had  said.  I  spoke  to  my 
father,  and  he  talked  of  the  visit  of  Deerf oot  as 
he  would  have  talked  of  the  visit  of  one  of  our 
own  Blackfeet.  I  told  him  I  had  forgotten  the 
Shawanoe 's  words  and  asked  him  to  tell  them 
to  me  again.  He  replied  that  God  did  not  wish 
me  to  remember  them  and  he  denied  my  request, 
which  I  respected  him  too  much  ever  to  repeat. 

"  Chief  Taggarak  lived  several  years  longer. 
I  have  tried  many  times  to  recall  the  words 
spoken  by  Deerf  oot  when  he  visited  my  father, 
but  I  have  never  succeeded  in  bringing  back  a 
single  one  of  them." 


[THE  END.] 


THE 

Famous  Standard  Juveniles 


Published  by 

THE  JOHN  C.  WINSTON  CO. 
Philadelphia 


EDWARD  S.  ELLIS 

Edward  S.  Ellis,  the  popular  writer  of  boys'  books,  is  a 
native  of  Ohio,  where  he  was  born  somewhat  more  than  a  half- 
century  ago.  His  father  was  a  famous  hunter  and  rifle  shot, 
and  it  was  doubtless  his  exploits  and  those  of  his  associates, 
with  their  tales  of  adventure  which  gave  the  son  his  taste 
for  the  breezy  backwoods  and  for  depicting  the  stirring  life 
of  the  early  settlers  on  the  frontier. 

Mr.  Ellis  began  writing  at  an  early  age  and  his  work  was 
acceptable  from  the  first.  His  parents  removed  to  New 
Jersey  while  he  was  a  boy  and  he  was  graduated  from  the 
State  Normal  School  and  became  a  member  of  the  faculty 
while  still  in  his  teens.  He  was  afterward  principal  of  the 
Trenton  High  School,  a  trustee  and  then  superintendent 
of  schools.  By  that  time  his  services  as  a  writer  had  become 
so  pronounced  that  he  gave  his  entire  attention  to  liter- 
ature. He  was  an  exceptionally  successful  teacher  and 
wrote  a  number  of  text-books  for  schools,  all  of  which  met 
with  high  favor.  For  these  and  his  historical  productions, 
Princeton  College  conferred  upon  him  the  degree  of  Master 
of  Arts. 

The  high  moral  character,  the  clean,  manly  tendencies 
and  the  admirable  literary  style  of  Mr.  Ellis'  stories  have 
made  him  as  popular  on  the  other  side  of  the  Atlantic  as  in 

this  country.     A  leading  naper  remarked  some  time  since, 

16 


that  no  mother  need  hesitate  to  place  in  the  hands  of  her 
boy  any  book  written  by  Mr.  Ellis.  They  are  found  in 
the  leading  Sunday-school  libraries,  where,  as  may  well 
be  believed,  they  are  in  wide  demand  and  do  much  good 
by  their  sound,  wholesome  lessons  which  render  them  as 
acceptable  to  parents  as  to  their  children.  Nearly  all  of 
the  Ellis  books  published  by  The  John  C.  Winston  Company 
are  reissued  in  London,  and  many  have  been  translated 
into  other  languages.  Mr.  Ellis  is  a  writer  of  varied  accom- 
plishments, and,  in  addition  to  his  stories,  is  the  author  of 
historical  works,  of  a  number  of  pieces  of  popular  music, 
and  has  made  several  valuaole  inventions.  Mr.  Ellis  is  in 
the  prime  of  his  mental  and  physical  powers,  and  great  as 
have  been  the  merits  of  his  past  achievements,  there  is 
reason  to  look  for  more  brilliant  productions  from  his  pen  in 
the  near  future. 


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